Germanium Electron Configuration
Orbital diagram
- Valence electrons
- 4
- Unpaired electrons
- 2
- Block
- p-block
- Magnetism (atom)
- paramagnetic
Electrons per shell
| K (n = 1) | 2 |
|---|---|
| L (n = 2) | 8 |
| M (n = 3) | 18 |
| N (n = 4) | 4 |
Germanium ion configurations
| Ion | Electrons | Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| Ge4+ | 28 | [Ar] 3d10 |
How to write it
Place 32 electrons into subshells in the Aufbau order (1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d, 7p), filling s with 2, p with 6, d with 10 and f with 14. Germanium sits in period 4, group 14, in the p-block, so its last electron enters a p subshell. Replacing the inner electrons with the previous noble gas gives the shorthand [Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p2.
Try germanium and its ions in the calculator, or see the full germanium data sheet.
Germanium electron configuration FAQ
What is the electron configuration of germanium?
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p². Shorthand (noble gas) notation: [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p².
What is the noble gas configuration of germanium?
[Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p². The bracket stands for the Ar core electrons.
How many valence electrons does germanium have?
4 (outer shell (n = 4)).
How many unpaired electrons does germanium have?
2 in the ground state, following Hund’s rule. An atom with unpaired electrons is paramagnetic.
What is the electron configuration of Ge4+?
[Ar] 3d¹⁰ (28 electrons).