Full configuration
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p²
In the short form, [Ar] stands for the 18 electrons of argon, the noble gas before germanium. Only the electrons after it are written out.
Orbital diagram
3d↑↓↑↓↑↓↑↓↑↓
4s↑↓
4p↑↑
Outer subshells only. Each box is an orbital; electrons fill singly first (Hund's rule), then pair up with opposite spins.
What the configuration tells you
Germanium is in group 14, period 4, in the p-block. It has 2 unpaired electrons in the ground state, so the atom is paramagnetic.
Nearby elements
| Z | Element | Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | Copper | [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s¹ |
| 30 | Zinc | [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² |
| 31 | Gallium | [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p¹ |
| 33 | Arsenic | [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p³ |
| 34 | Selenium | [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁴ |
| 35 | Bromine | [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁵ |
Questions students ask
What is the electronic configuration of germanium?
[Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p², or in full, 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p². Germanium has atomic number 32.
How many electrons are in each shell of germanium?
2, 8, 18, 4 (K, L, M, N… shells in order).
How many unpaired electrons does germanium have?
2 in the ground state, so germanium atoms are paramagnetic.