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.

Use the Germanium Electron Configuration

Z = 32 Ge Germanium

Germanium — Electron Configuration

Atomic number 32 · p-block metalloid · Period 4, Group 14 · Semiconductor

[Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p² 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p² 32 electrons 4 valence e⁻ 2 unpaired e⁻

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

Shell 1 (n=1) — 1s² 2 / 2 electrons (100%)
Shell 2 (n=2) — 2s² 2p⁶ 8 / 8 electrons (100%)
Shell 3 (n=3) — 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 18 / 18 electrons (100%)
Shell 4 (n=4) — 4s² 4p² 4 / 32 electrons (13%)

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

Germanium (Ge) has atomic number 32 and the ground-state electron configuration 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p², abbreviated as [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p². It sits in Period 4, Group 14, in the p-block and is classified as a metalloid (semiconductor). The two 4p electrons occupy separate orbitals with parallel spins, following Hund's rule — giving germanium 2 unpaired electrons and making it paramagnetic. Germanium was famously predicted by Mendeleev in 1871 as "eka-silicon" before it was discovered by Clemens Winkler in 1886. Today it is critical in semiconductors, fiber optics, and infrared optics.

How it works

  1. The Aufbau principle fills subshells in order of increasing energy: 1s → 2s → 2p → 3s → 3p → 4s → 3d → 4p.
  2. The [Ar] core (1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶) represents 18 electrons identical to the argon noble-gas configuration.
  3. 3d receives all 10 electrons before 4p begins filling, completing the d-block of Period 4.
  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.
  5. Total electrons: 2 + 2 + 6 + 2 + 6 + 10 + 2 + 2 = 32, matching germanium's atomic number.
  6. 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-09-30 · Reviewed by Nham Vu