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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2003  > August  >
In the Classroom
The Periodic Table as a Mnemonic Device for Writing Electronic Configurations
Suzanne T. Mabrouk
Chemistry Department, The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29409
Cover
August 2003
Vol. 80 No. 8
p. 894
Abstract
Lectures on electronic configurations often appear boring and intangible to many students. This topic can become engaging and interesting through the use of an interactive method based on the periodic table. Using a periodic table with shell and subshell designations in each square, students learn the patterns or the periodicity to the electronic configurations of the elements. Students are then encouraged to commit these patterns to memory through rehearsal in class. With the standard periodic table and the memorized patterns, students are shown that electronic configurations can be determined. Although students often appear mystified by the topic of electronic configurations, especially when its relevance to chemistry is absent, students' understanding can be improved easily by making connections and using analogy as the activity described here does.
Supplement
11 x 8.5-in. versions of figures 1 and 2 are available.
*  Contents
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JCE2003p0894W.pdf
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*  Citation
 Mabrouk, Suzanne T. J. Chem. Educ. 2003 80 894.
*  Keywords
 Atomic Properties / Structure; General Chemistry; Introductory / High School Chemistry; Nonmajor Courses; Periodicity / Periodic Table; Teaching / Learning Aids
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 June 30, 2003
February 28, 2005
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