Atom Diagrams Showing Electron Shell Configurations of the Elements

A neutral atom has the same number of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
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Science
Science
By
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
  • Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on November 05, 2019

Key Takeaways

  • Atom diagrams help us see electrons around atoms and understand electron configuration easily.
  • Each element's diagram shows the nucleus with shells displaying electron and valence electron numbers.
  • An ion is when protons and electrons are not equal, leading to a positive or negative charge.

It's easier to understand electron configuration and valence if you can actually see the electrons surrounding atoms. For that, we have electron shell diagrams. 

Here are electron shell atom diagrams for the elements, ordered by increasing atomic number. 

For each electron shell atom diagram, the element symbol is listed in the nucleus. The electron shells are shown, moving outward from the nucleus. The final ring or shell of electrons contains the typical number of valence electrons for an atom of that element. The element atomic number and name are listed in the upper left. The upper right side shows the number of electrons in a neutral atom. Remember, a neutral atom contains the same number of protons and electrons.

The isotope is defined by the number of neutrons in an atom, which might be equal to the number of protons—or not.

An ion of an atom is one in which the number of protons and electrons is not the same. If there are more protons than electrons, an atomic ion has a positive charge and is called a cation. If there are more electrons than protons, the ion has a negative charge and is called an anion.

Elements are shown from atomic number 1 (hydrogen) up to 94 (plutonium). However, it's easy to determine the configuration of electrons for heavier elements by making a chart.

Hydrogen

This diagram of the hydrogen atom depicts the electron shell of hydrogen.
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Helium

This diagram of a helium atom shows the electron shell of helium.
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Lithium

This diagram of a lithium atom indicates its electron shell.
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Lithium is the first element in which an additional electron shell is added. Remember, the valence electrons are found in the outermost shell. The filling of the electron shells depends on their orbital. The first orbital (an s orbital) can contain only two electrons.

Beryllium

This diagram shows the electron configuration of a beryllium atom.
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Boron

This diagram of a boron atom indicates the electron shell of boron.
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Carbon

This diagram shows the electron shell of a carbon atom.
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Nitrogen

This diagram shows the electron shell of a nitrogen atom.
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Oxygen

This diagram of an oxygen atom shows the electron shell.
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Fluorine

This diagram shows the electron shell of a fluorine atom.
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Neon

This diagram shows the electron shell of the neon atom.
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Sodium

This diagram shows the electron shell configuration for the sodium atom.
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Magnesium

This diagram shows the electron shell configuration of a magnesium atom.
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Aluminium

This diagram shows the electron shell configuration for an atom of the element aluminium.
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Silicon

This diagram shows the electron shell configuration of a silicon atom.
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Phosphorus

This diagram shows the electron shell configuration of a phosphorus atom.
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Sulfur

This diagram indicates the electron shell configuration of a sulfur atom.
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Chlorine

This diagram shows the electron shell configuration of a chlorine atom.
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Argon

This diagram shows the electron shell configuration of an argon atom.
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Potassium

This diagram shows the electron shell configuration of a potassium atom.
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Calcium

This diagram of a calcium atom shows the electron shell.
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Scandium

This diagram of a scandium atom shows the electron shell.
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Titanium

This diagram of a titanium atom shows the electron shell.
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Vanadium

This diagram of a vanadium atom shows the electron shell.
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Chromium

This diagram of a chromium atom shows the electron shell.
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Manganese

This diagram of a manganese atom shows the electron shell.
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Iron

This diagram of an iron atom shows the electron shell.
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Cobalt

This diagram of a cobalt atom shows the electron shell.
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Nickel

This diagram of a nickel atom shows the electron shell.
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Copper

This diagram of a copper atom shows the electron shell.
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Zinc

This diagram of a zinc atom shows the electron shell.
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Gallium

This diagram of a gallium atom shows the electron shell.
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Germanium

This diagram of a germanium atom shows the electron shell.
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Arsenic

This diagram of an arsenic atom shows the electron shell.
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Selenium

This diagram of a selenium atom shows the electron shell.
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Bromine

This diagram of a bromine atom shows the electron shell.
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Krypton

This diagram of a krypton atom shows the electron shell.
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Rubidium

This diagram of a rubidium atom shows the electron shell.
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Strontium

This diagram of a strontium atom shows the electron shell.
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Yttrium

This diagram of a yttrium atom shows the electron shell.
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Zirconium

This diagram of a zirconium atom shows the electron shell.
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Niobium

This diagram of a niobium atom shows the electron shell.
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Molybdenum

This diagram of a molybdenum atom shows the electron shell.
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Technetium

This diagram of a technetium atom shows the electron shell.
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Ruthenium

This diagram of a ruthenium atom shows the electron shell.
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Rhodium

This diagram of a rhodium atom shows the electron shell.
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Palladium

This diagram of a palladium atom shows the electron shell.
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Silver

This diagram of a silver atom shows the electron shell.
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Cadmium

This diagram of a cadmium atom shows the electron shell.
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Indium

This diagram of an indium atom shows the electron shell.
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Tin

This diagram of a tin atom shows the electron shell.
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Antimony

This diagram of an antimony atom shows the electron shell.
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Tellurium

This diagram of a tellurium atom shows the electron shell.
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Iodine

This diagram of an iodine atom shows the electron shell.
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Xenon

This diagram of a xenon atom shows the electron shell.
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Caesium

This diagram of a caesium atom shows the electron shell.
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Barium

This diagram of a barium atom shows the electron shell.
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Lanthanum

This diagram of a lanthanum atom shows the electron shell.
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Cerium

This diagram of a cerium atom shows the electron shell.
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Praseodymium

This diagram of a praseodymium atom shows the electron shell.
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Neodymium

This diagram of a neodymium atom shows the electron shell.
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Promethium

This diagram of a promethium atom shows the electron shell.
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Samarium

This diagram of a samarium atom shows the electron shell.
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Europium

This diagram of an europium atom shows the electron shell.
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Gadolinium

This diagram of a gadolinium atom shows the electron shell.
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Terbium

This diagram of a terbium atom shows the electron shell.
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Dysprosium

This diagram of a dysprosium atom shows the electron shell.
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Holmium

This diagram of a holmium atom shows the electron shell.
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Erbium

This diagram of a erbium atom shows the electron shell.
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Thulium

This diagram of a thulium atom shows the electron shell.
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Ytterbium

This diagram of a ytterbium atom shows the electron shell.
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Lutetium

This diagram of a lutetium atom shows the electron shell.
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Hafnium

This diagram of a hafnium atom shows the electron shell.
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Tantalum

This diagram of a tantalum atom shows the electron shell.
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Tungsten

This diagram of a tungsten atom shows the electron shell.
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Rhenium

This diagram of a rhenium atom shows the electron shell.
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Osmium

This diagram of an osmium atom shows the electron shell.
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Iridium

This diagram of an iridium atom shows the electron shell.
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Platinum

This diagram of a platinum atom shows the electron shell.
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Gold

This diagram of a gold atom shows the electron shell.
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Mercury

This diagram of a mercury atom shows the electron shell.
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Thallium

This diagram of a thallium atom shows the electron shell.
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Lead

This diagram of a lead atom shows the electron shell.
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Bismuth

This diagram of a bismuth atom shows the electron shell.
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Polonium

This diagram of a polonium atom shows the electron shell.
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Astatine

This diagram of an astatine atom shows the electron shell.
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Radon

This diagram of a radon atom shows the electron shell.
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Francium

This diagram of a francium atom shows the electron shell.
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Radium

Electron shell diagram for radium.
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Actinium

This diagram of an actinium atom shows the electron shell.
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Thorium

This diagram of a thorium atom shows the electron shell.
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Protactinium

This diagram of a protactinium atom shows the electron shell.
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Uranium

This diagram of a uranium atom shows the electron shell.
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Neptunium

Electron shell diagram of neptunium.
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Plutonium

This diagram of a plutonium atom shows the electron shell.
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Your Citation
Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Atom Diagrams Showing Electron Shell Configurations of the Elements." ThoughtCo, Mar. 28, 2025, thoughtco.com/atoms-diagrams-electron-configurations-elements-4064658. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2025, March 28). Atom Diagrams Showing Electron Shell Configurations of the Elements. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/atoms-diagrams-electron-configurations-elements-4064658 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Atom Diagrams Showing Electron Shell Configurations of the Elements." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/atoms-diagrams-electron-configurations-elements-4064658 (accessed April 2, 2025).