Science- Grade 9

Quarter 2 Week 1
Electronic Structure of Matter

I. Introductory Concept

In Grade 8, you have learned that Rutherford’s atomic model pictures the
atom as mostly empty space and its mass is concentrated in the nucleus, where
protons and neutrons are located. This model has worked well during his time, but it
was only able to explain a few simple properties of atoms. A model different from
Rutherford’s atomic model is necessary to describe the behaviour of atoms.

Niels Bohr refined Rutherford’s model of an atom. Based on his experiments,

Bohr described the electron to be moving in definite orbits around the nucleus. Much
later, scientists discovered that it is impossible to determine the exact location of
electrons in an atom.

Through this learning packet, you will learn about the evidence that Bohr used
to explain his model of the atom, and will help you understand that there is a certain
portion of space around the nucleus where the electron is most likely to be found. In
addition, you will know more about the present model of the atom, which is called the
quantum mechanical model of the atom.

II. Learning Competency

Explain how the Quantum Mechanical Model of the atom

describes the energies and positions of the electrons

At the end of this learning packet, you will be able to:

1. state and explain the quantum mechanical model of the atom;
2. describe the energies and positions of the electrons applying the quantum
mechanical model of the atom;
3. write the electronic configuration of some elements in the periodic table; and
4. apply the Aufbau Principle, the Pauli’s Exclusion principle and Hund’s Rule in
writing the electron configurations

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III. Activities

Activity 1
ATOMIC MODELS
Instruction: Identify which atomic model is being described in each item. Choose
your answer from the box below. Write the letter of your choice.

1. A small positively charged nucleus is surrounded by revolving negatively

charged electrons in fixed orbits.
2. An atom is mostly empty space with electrons orbiting in a set, predictable
path around fixed positively charged nucleus.
3. It is based on quantum theory, which says matter also has properties
associated with waves.

A. B. C.

Rutherford’s Bohr’s Quantum Mechanical

Atomic Model Atomic Model Model of the Atom

Source: Science 9 DLP, DepEd Region V

Analysis 1
Refer to the illustrations above and answer the following questions.
1. How will you compare the quantum mechanical model of the atom to Bohr’s
and Rutherford’s model of the atom?
2. Using the quantum mechanical model of the atom, do you think it would be
possible to tell the exact location of the electrons? Why or why not?

Activity 2
Predicting the Probable Location of an Electron
In Bohr’s atomic model, electrons move in orbits of certain amount of energy.
However, these findings showed that it is not possible to tell the exact position of the
electron at any given time and how it moves in the atom. In this activity, you will use
an analogy to understand the interpretation of Schrodinger’s treatment of the atom.
Further, you will be able to describe how it is likely to find the electron in an atom by
probability.
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Materials:
One sheet of bond paper or half of Compass
A short folder Graphing paper
Pencil or colored marker with small tip One-foot ruler

Procedures:
1. Working with a family member, draw a dot on the center of the sheet of paper or
folder.
2. Draw five concentric circles around the dot so that the radius of each circle is 1
cm, 3 cm, 5 cm, 7 cm, and 9 cm from the dot.
3. Tape the paper on the floor so that it will not move.
4. Stand on the opposite side of the target from your partner. (Target is the center
which represents the nucleus of an atom). Hold a pencil
or marker at chest level above the center of the circles
you have drawn.
5. Take turns dropping the pencil or marker so that it will
leave 100 dots on the circles drawn on paper or folder.
6. Count the number of dots in each circle and record the
number on data table (Column E).
7. Calculate the number of dots per square centimetre
(cm2). Do this by dividing the number of dots in circle by
the difference of areas of the consecutive circles which
are found in Columns E and D, respectively.
8. Using a graphing paper, plot the average distance from
the center on the x- axis and number of dots per sq.cm on the y- axis.

Data Table
Circle Average Area of Difference of Number Number Percent
Number Distance Circle Areas of the of Dots of Dots probability
from the (cm2) Two in Circle per cm2 of Finding
Center Consecutive (E) / (D) Dots (%)
(cm) Circles (cm2)
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F) (G)
1
(example 1 3.14 25.13 5 0.1920 19.20
only)
1 1 3.14 25.13
2 3 28.27 50.27
3 5 78.54 75.40
4 7 153.94 100.53
5 9 254.47 125.66

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Analysis 2
1. What happens to the number of dots per unit area as the distance of the dots go
farther from the center?
2. Determine the percent probability of finding a dot in each of the circle drawn on
the target by multiplying the number of dots/cm2 (column D) by the total number
of dots (100). For example, in circle 1 (A)
Percent probability = no. of dots per cm2 x 100
= 0.1920 x 100
= 19.20%
3. Based on your graph, what is the distance with the highest probability of finding a
dot? Show this in your graph.
4. How many dots are found in the area where there is the highest probability of
finding dots?
5. How are your results similar to the distribution of electrons in an atom?

The activity you have just performed demonstrates what scientist

found out: It is not possible to know the exact position of the electron.
Bohr’s idea that electrons are found in definite orbits around the nucleus
was rejected. Three physicists led the development of a better model of the
atom: Louie de Broglie, Erwin Schrodinger, and Werner Karl Heisenberg.
De Broglie proposed that the electron (which is thought of as a particle)
could also be thought of as a wave. Schrodinger used this idea to develop
a mathematical equation to describe the hydrogen atom. Heisenberg
discovered that for a very small particle like the electron, its location cannot
be exactly known and how it is moving, thus he was able to formulate the
Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. There is only a probability that the
electron can be found in certain volume in space around the nucleus, which
is known as the atomic orbital.
The quantum mechanical model of the atom comes from the
mathematical solution to the Schrodinger equation. This views an electron
as a cloud of negative charge having a certain geometrical shape and
shows how likely an electron could be found in various locations around the
nucleus. However, the model does not give any information about how the
electron moves from one position to another.

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Activity 3

PRINCIPAL ENERGY LEVELS & SUBLEVELS OF ELECTRONS

Instruction: Analyze the table below to answer the questions that follow.

Table 1. Principal Energy Levels and Sublevels of Electrons

TYPE OF
PRINCIPAL NUMBER MAXIMUM
SUBLEVEL AND TOTAL
ENERGY OF NUMBER OF
NUMBER OF ELECTRONS
LEVEL (n) SUBLEVELS ELECTRONS
ORBITALS
1 1 1s (1 orbital) 2 2
2s (1 orbital) 2
2 2 8
2p (3 orbitals) 6
3s (1 orbital) 2
3 3 3p (3 orbitals) 6 18
3d (5 orbitals) 10
4s (1 orbital) 2
4p (3 orbitals) 6
4 4 32
4d (5 orbitals) 10
4f (7 orbitals) 14
5s (1 orbital) 2
5p (3 orbitals) 6
5 5 5d (5 orbitals) 10 50
5f (7 orbitals) 14
5g (9 orbitals) 18

Analysis 3
1. Based on the table, how many types of orbitals are in principal energy level
three?
2. How many atomic orbitals are in the highest sublevel of principal energy level
three?

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 The quantum mechanical model also gives information about the
energy of the electron and describes the region of space around the nucleus
as consisting of shells, known as the principal or main energy levels. The
principal energy levels or shells may have one or more sublevels, as shown
in the table above. They are assigned with letters: s (sharp), p (principal), d
(diffuse), and f (fundamental). Take note that the maximum number of
2
electrons that can occupy a principal energy level is given by the formula 2n ,
where n is the principal quantum number.
The quantum mechanical model also gives information about the
energy of the electron and describes the region of space around the nucleus
as consisting of shells, known as the principal or main energy levels.

The principal energy levels or shells may have one or more

sublevels, as shown in the table above. They are assigned with letters: s
(sharp), p (principal), d (diffuse), and f (fundamental). Take note that the
maximum number of electrons that can occupy a principal energy level is
2
given by the formula 2n , where n is the principal quantum number.
Orbitals have specific energy values and particular shapes and
directions in space: s- orbitals are spherically shaped, p- orbitals are
dumbbell shaped, d & f orbitals were derived from complex calculation.

Shapes of s orbital and p orbital

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 How are the electrons of an atom distributed in the principal energy
level and sublevel? Well, this is done through writing the electronic
configuration, which is the representation of the arrangement of electrons
distributed among the orbital shells and subshells.
There are a set of general rules that are applied to writing the
electron configuration of an element: Aufbau Principle, Hund's Rule and the
Pauli-Exclusion Principle.
1.Aufbau Principle - states that electrons occupy orbitals in order of
increasing energy.
1s<2s<2p<3s<3p<4s<3d<4p<5s<4d<5p<6s<4f<5d<6p<7s<5f<6d<7p
2.Pauli Exclusion Principle - states that two electrons can occupy the
same orbital only if they have opposite spins so that their magnetic
fields of force attract each other.
3.Hund’s Rule - states that electrons must occupy the available atomic
orbitals singly first, before paring and with parallel spins in degenerate
orbitals to minimize repulsion. Degenerate orbitals have the same energy.

Sample Orbital Diagram for Carbon Atom

Source: https://byjus.com/chemistry/electron-configuration/

Source: http://chemsite.lsrhs.net/bonding/configs.html

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The
mnemonic at
the right will
help you
visualize the
sequence on
how to write
the electronic
configuration
of an element.

Source:
https://unsympatheticchemprof.tumblr.com/post/181373751128

Writing Electron Configuration

Be guided also that each sublevel can only accommodate a specific

number of electrons and orbitals, as summarized in the table below.

SUBLEVEL NO. OF ELECTRONS NO. OF ORBITALS

s 2 1
p 6 3
d 10 5
f 14 7

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 The sample table below will guide you on how to write the orbital diagram
and the electronic configuration of some elements.

Table 2. Arrangement of Electrons in the Atoms

of the First 10 Elements

Chemical O R B I T A L Electron
Symbol 1s 2s 2p 2p 2p Configuration
1H ↿ 1s1
2He ↿⇂ 1s2
3Li ↿⇂ ↿ 1s22s1
4Be ↿⇂ ↿⇂ 1s22s2
5B ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿ 1s22s22p1
6C ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿ ↿ 1s22s22p2
7N ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿ ↿ ↿ 1s22s22p3
8O ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿ ↿ 1s22s22p4
9F ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿ 1s22s22p5
10Ne ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ 1s22s22p6

Activity 4

Writing Electronic Configuration and Orbital Diagrams

Instruction: With the aid of the periodic table (can be found on page 10) and
referring to the mnemonic (can be found on the previous page), write the electron
configuration and orbital diagrams of the elements in the third period. Kindly refer to
these sample electronic configuration. (Note: Z is the atomic number).
Calcium (Z=20) : 1s22s22p63s23p64s2
Iodine (Z=53) : 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p65s24d105p5
Bromine (Z=35) : 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p5

Analysis 4
Based on you answers on Activity 4, answer the following questions.
1. Do you see patterns in the distribution of their electrons?
2. What are these patterns you have observed?
3. What do you think are some rules that apply in filling up the orbitals for the
elements from atomic number 1 to 18?

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Abstraction
1. How is quantum mechanical model different from Bohr’s and Rutherford’s
model of the atom?
2. How are electrons distributed in the different energy levels?

Application
Fill in the blanks to complete the analogy.

1. Ba : 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p65s24d105p66s2
Fe : _________________________________

2. 1s22s22p63s1 : Sodium
2 2 6 2 6 1
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s : _________________

3. Manganese : 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d5
Neon : ___________________

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Source: https://sciencenotes.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/PeriodicTableNeonBW2017.png
IV. Rubrics for Scoring
Criteria 3 2 1
The learner shows The learner shows The learner was
mastery and understanding of the able to answer a few
Understanding understanding of the topic. He/she was items and needs
of the Subject subject matter. He/ able to answer most further intervention.
Matter she correctly of the items with little
answered the items or minimal errors.
with no errors.
The learner was The learner was The learner was
able to provide able to answer the able to provide
Quality of
excellent answers questions but with response that
Answers /
with good arguments no arguments to answers the
Response
to support the support the answer. question.
answer.
All the questions / Majority of the Only few questions
Completeness
activities were questions were were answered.
of Answer
answered / done. answered.

V. Answer Key
Activity 1
1. B 2. A 3. C

Analysis 1
1. Answer varies.
2. No

Activity 2
Answers on the data table vary.
Analysis 2
1. Possible answer: Based on the data, the number of dots increases abruptly and
then decreases as the dots go farther from the center.
2. Answers vary.
3. Answer varies.
4. Answer varies.
5. Possible answer: The results of the activity are similar to the structure of the atom
because the probability of finding an electron (dot) increases abruptly then
decreases as it goes farther from the nucleus (target).

Activity 3
Analysis 3
1. There are 3 types of orbitals (s, p, and d).
2. Five atomic orbitals
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Activity 4

O R B I T A L Electron
Symbol
1s 2s 2p 2p 2p 3s 3p 3p 3p Configuration
11Na ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿ 1s22s22p63s1
12Mg ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ 1s22s22p63s2
13Al ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿ 1s22s22p63s23p1
14Si ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿ ↿ 1s22s22p63s23p2
15P ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿ ↿ ↿ 1s22s22p63s23p3
16S ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿ ↿ 1s22s22p63s23p4
17Cl ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿ 1s22s22p63s23p5
18Ar ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ ↿⇂ 1s22s22p63s23p6

Analysis 4
1. Yes
2. Possible answers
Some patterns are:
- An orbital has a maximum of two opposite spins.
- An orbital in the same sublevel is filled with one spin before pairing.
- Filling the orbitals with electron starts from the lowest energy level to the
highest energy level. (1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p 5s 4d 5p…)
- The total number of electrons on the outermost energy level is the same
as the group number in the periodic table of elements.
3. Possible answers
Some rules are:
- An electron can be represented by a spin.
- In filling the orbitals with electron, it should start with the lowest energy
level.
- An orbital in the same sublevel should be filled with one electron before
pairing.
Abstraction
1. The quantum mechanical model comes from the mathematical solution to the
Schrodinger equation. This views an electron as a cloud of negative charge
having a certain geometrical shape and shows how likely an electron could be
found in various locations around the nucleus.
2. By writing the electronic configuration which shows the arrangement of electrons
distributed among the orbital shells and subshells

Application
1. 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d6
2. Potassium
3. 1s22s22p6

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VI. Reflection
Questions for Reflection Answers / Reflections
How do you feel about this topic /
lesson?
What part of the lesson did you enjoy the
most? Why?
What challenges did you encounter while
answering / doing this lesson? How did
you solve it?
How does this lesson help you in your
day to day living?
What did you learn about yourself as you
worked on this lesson / activity?

VII. References
Science 9 Learner’s Module by the Department of Education
Science 9 Teacher’s Guide by the Department of Education
Duroy, R., Bertiz, A., Collantes, T., Zamora, C., & Catimbang, D. (2019). Prototype
and Contextualized Daily Lesson Plans in Grade 9 Science: Quarter II. Department
of Education Region V. Rawis, Legazpi City
Collantes, Tessie B. (2020). Science – Grade 9 Quarter 2- Week 1 (Module 1):
Electronic Structure of Matter. Department of Education Region V. Rawis,
Legazpi City
http://www.toppr.com/guides/chemistry/structure-of-atom/atomic-models/(accessed
September 2, 2021)
https://byjus.com/chemistry/electron-configuration/ (accessed September 1, 2021)
http://chemsite.lsrhs.net/bonding/configs.html (accessed September 1, 2021)
https://unsympatheticchemprof.tumblr.com/post/181373751128 (accessed
September 1, 2021)
https://sciencenotes.org/wp-
content/uploads/2017/02/PeriodicTableNeonBW2017.png (accessed September 2,
2021)

SMILE Learner’s Packet Development Team

Writer : Angela M. Benson (Tabaco NHS)

Editors/Reviewers : Lourdes P. Castroverde

Judy S. Salcedo
Helen Z. Cornelio (EPS, Iriga City)
Ronaldo C. Reyes (EPS, Tabaco City)

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