homework 2.43 part e [ENDORSED]

[Vivian Gonzalez 1A]

The question asks what is the ground-state electron configuration expected for each of the following elements: (e) tungsten?
The answer is: [Xe] 4f^14 5d^4 6s^2
I understand where the 5d^4 and 6s^2 came from, however, I'm still confused on how to get 4f^14. Can someone please explain?

[Taizha 1C]

the answer is 4f^14 because you need to include the configuration for the f-block, so not including La, there would be 14 e- total.

[Vivian Gonzalez 1A]

I see. So the f block lies in between the 6s-7s and 5d/6d rows?

[Jade Corpus-Sapida 1G]

I see. So the f block lies in between the 6s-7s and 5d/6d rows?

Yes it does. If you look at the periodic table there should be 2 boxes labelled "57-71 lanthanoids" and "89-103 actinoids", where that section leads to the portion below as an extension.

[Anna De Schutter - 1A]

But why is it 5d^4 6s^2 and not 5d^5 6s^1? I thought it was more stable to have d^5 than d^4 (as well as d^10 instead of d^9)?

Also are we expected to know how to include the f-block in electron configurations? I'm not sure but I thought we had to know how to do electron configurations of the s-block, the p-block, and the first row of the d-block. Or did I misunderstand that?

Thank you!! :)
Anna De Schutter - section 1A

[Bree Perkins 1E]

But why is it 5d^4 6s^2 and not 5d^5 6s^1? I thought it was more stable to have d^5 than d^4 (as well as d^10 instead of d^9)?

Also are we expected to know how to include the f-block in electron configurations? I'm not sure but I thought we had to know how to do electron configurations of the s-block, the p-block, and the first row of the d-block. Or did I misunderstand that?

Thank you!! :)
Anna De Schutter - section 1A

I have the same question. Why would it not be

[Haison Nguyen 1I]

I'm also slightly confused with this problem. Why does 4f^14 come before 5d^4 and 6s^2?

[Chem_Mod]

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=31289&p=99159&hilit=tungsten&sid=842f05fb5698f1c9857c0aa71062966f#p99159

See this post for an explanation on Tungsten stability.

As for why the 4f¹⁴ comes first, some choose to list it in order of the value of n. As for how it's filled, see the attached picture.

[BriannaParrington-1B]

Doesn't 4f^14 come first because when doing electron configurations, you list it in increasing principal quantum number(n)?