Drawing the configuration

[Deap Bhandal L1 S1J]

When filling up orbitals does it matter if you start with spin downs or spin ups?

[aTirumalai-1I]

Nope it does not matter, although you have to be consistent. For example, if you start filling spin-ups in the 2px orbital, you have to continue filling spin-ups in the 2py and 2pz orbitals until you need to pair all the spins in the p-orbitals to complete the configuration.

[Phillip Winters 2F]

According to Hund's Rule, electrons in the same subshell occupy different orbitals with parallel spin, but when electrons are initially added, it doesn't matter whether the spin is up or down, as long as they are all parallel.

[Sophie Krylova 2J]

So technically we don't know if a certain electron has positive or negative spin?

[204918982]

So technically we don't know if a certain electron has positive or negative spin?

I don't think so. Unless you are given ms= 1/2 or ms= -1/2 then you know it's spin up or spin down.