Germanium Electron Configuration
Reference tool for germanium's electron configuration (1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p²), abbreviated as [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p², with orbital box diagram showing Hund's rule in the 4p subshell, subshell table, and element facts.
Germanium — Electron Configuration
Atomic number 32 · p-block metalloid · Period 4, Group 14 · Semiconductor
Subshell Breakdown
| Subshell | Type | Electrons | Max Capacity | Notation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1s | s orbital, shell n=1 | 2 | 2 | 1s² |
| 2s | s orbital, shell n=2 | 2 | 2 | 2s² |
| 2p | p orbitals, shell n=2 | 6 | 6 | 2p⁶ |
| 3s | s orbital, shell n=3 | 2 | 2 | 3s² |
| 3p | p orbitals, shell n=3 | 6 | 6 | 3p⁶ |
| 3d | d orbitals, shell n=3 | 10 | 10 | 3d¹⁰ |
| 4s | s orbital, shell n=4 | 2 | 2 | 4s² |
| 4p | p orbitals, shell n=4 | 2 | 6 | 4p² |
| Total | 32 | |||
Full Configuration
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p²
All subshells written explicitly.
Abbreviated (Noble-Gas)
[Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p²
[Ar] = 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ (18 electrons).
Valence Electrons
4s² 4p² = 4 e⁻
4 valence electrons — Group 14 behavior, like carbon and silicon.
Shell Fill Summary
Shells 1–3 are completely filled. Shell 4 has 4s filled and 4p partially filled (2 of 6 p electrons); the 4d and 4f subshells are empty at ground state.
Period 4 p-Block Neighbors
| Element | Z | Configuration | 4p electrons | Unpaired e⁻ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallium (Ga) | 31 | [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p¹ | 4p¹ | 1 |
| Germanium (Ge) ← this element | 32 | [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p² | 4p² | 2 |
| Arsenic (As) | 33 | [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p³ | 4p³ | 3 |
| Selenium (Se) | 34 | [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁴ | 4p⁴ | 2 |
Across the 4p series, each element adds one electron to the 4p subshell. Germanium's two 4p electrons each occupy a separate orbital (Hund's rule), giving 2 unpaired electrons. Arsenic reaches a half-filled 4p³ (maximum unpaired electrons = 3) before pairing begins in selenium.
Hund's Rule and the 4p² Configuration
Germanium has two electrons to place in the three degenerate 4p orbitals (4p_x, 4p_y, 4p_z). Hund's rule of maximum multiplicity states that electrons fill degenerate orbitals one at a time with parallel spins before any orbital receives a second electron.
As a result, the two 4p electrons each occupy a different orbital with the same spin direction: one in 4p_x and one in 4p_y, both spin-up. The 4p_z orbital remains empty at ground state.
This produces 2 unpaired electrons, making germanium paramagnetic. The Ge²⁺ ion (losing both 4p electrons) leaves a complete 4s² pair — the inert-pair effect — though Ge⁴⁺ (losing all four valence electrons) is more common in compounds.
Summary
Reference tool for germanium's electron configuration (1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p²), abbreviated as [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p², with orbital box diagram showing Hund's rule in the 4p subshell, subshell table, and element facts.
How it works
- The Aufbau principle fills subshells in order of increasing energy: 1s → 2s → 2p → 3s → 3p → 4s → 3d → 4p.
- The [Ar] core (1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶) represents 18 electrons identical to the argon noble-gas configuration.
- 3d receives all 10 electrons before 4p begins filling, completing the d-block of Period 4.
- The remaining 2 electrons enter the 4p subshell. By Hund's rule, they occupy two different 4p orbitals (4p_x and 4p_y) with parallel (same) spins before any orbital is doubly occupied.
- Total electrons: 2 + 2 + 6 + 2 + 6 + 10 + 2 + 2 = 32, matching germanium's atomic number.
- Use the tabs below to explore the subshell table, orbital box diagram, and element properties.
Use cases
- Quickly verify germanium's full or abbreviated configuration for homework and exams.
- Visualize how Hund's rule distributes the two 4p electrons into separate orbitals.
- Understand why germanium has 2 unpaired electrons and is paramagnetic.
- Compare germanium with neighboring gallium (4p¹) and arsenic (4p³) for p-block trends.
- Study the inert-pair effect to understand why Ge²⁺ is less stable than Ge⁴⁺.
- Teaching aid for Aufbau principle, Hund's rule, and Group 14 metalloid behavior.