Silver Electron Configuration

Reference for silver's anomalous electron configuration ([Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s¹), orbital box diagram, and key atomic data for Ag (Z=47).

Z = 47 Ag Silver

Silver — Electron Configuration

Atomic number 47 · Transition metal · Period 5, Group 11 · d-block

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 5s¹ [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s¹ 47 electrons 1 valence e⁻ Anomalous d¹⁰ s¹

Anomalous Configuration — Aufbau Exception

Aufbau predicts [Kr] 4d⁹ 5s², but silver adopts [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s¹. A completely filled 4d¹⁰ subshell releases more exchange energy than the 4s²-style pairing, making the anomalous arrangement more stable. The same pattern occurs in copper (Z=29) and gold (Z=79).

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 6 6 4p⁶
4d d orbitals, shell n=4 10 10 4d¹⁰
5s s orbital, shell n=5 (anomalous) 1 2 5s¹
Total 47

Full Configuration

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 5s¹

All subshells written explicitly.

Noble-Gas Shorthand

[Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s¹

[Kr] = 1s²…4p⁶ (krypton's filled core, Z=36).

Expected vs. Actual

4d⁹ 5s² (Aufbau)

4d¹⁰ 5s¹ (actual)

Filled d¹⁰ wins over s².

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 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 18 / 32 electrons (56%)
Shell 5 (n=5) — 5s¹ 1 / 50 electrons (2%)

Shell 5 can hold up to 50 electrons (5s + 5p + 5d + 5f + 5g). Silver uses only 1 slot — the 5s¹. This makes the next element (cadmium) add its electron to 5s to reach 5s².

Group 11 Coinage Metals — All Three Are Anomalous

Element Z Expected (Aufbau) Actual
Copper (Cu) 29 [Ar] 3d⁹ 4s² [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s¹
Silver (Ag) 47 [Kr] 4d⁹ 5s² [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s¹
Gold (Au) 79 [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁹ 6s² [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s¹

Summary

Reference for silver's anomalous electron configuration ([Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s¹), orbital box diagram, and key atomic data for Ag (Z=47).

How it works

  1. The Aufbau principle fills subshells from lowest to highest energy: …4s → 3d → 4p → 5s → 4d.
  2. For silver (Z=47), the naive prediction would be [Kr] 4d⁹ 5s², placing 9 electrons in 4d and 2 in 5s.
  3. Instead, one electron migrates from 5s to complete the 4d subshell, giving the actual configuration [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s¹.
  4. A completely filled 4d¹⁰ subshell has maximum exchange energy, making it more stable than the partially filled 4d⁹ 5s².
  5. The same anomaly appears in copper (Z=29) and gold (Z=79) — all three are Group 11 coinage metals.
  6. Noble-gas notation replaces the krypton core with [Kr], leaving [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s¹ as the standard abbreviated form.

Use cases

  • Quick reference for chemistry homework on d-block anomalies and Aufbau exceptions.
  • Understand why silver's 4d¹⁰ 5s¹ is more stable than the expected 4d⁹ 5s².
  • Learn how silver forms Ag⁺ ions by losing the single 5s¹ electron.
  • Visualize orbital filling for Period 5 transition metals using the orbital diagram.
  • Compare silver to copper and gold — the three Group 11 coinage metal exceptions.
  • Teaching aid for exchange energy, Hund's rule, and d-block chemistry lessons.
  • Verify quantum numbers for the outermost subshells of silver.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-08 · Reviewed by Nham Vu