I do not understand anything about electron configuration. How do you figure out if the element is in P,D,S,orF? What do the subscripts represent? What is a subshell? I am so confused!!

You figure it out by using the Aufgau principle, placing electrons in the proper order in orbitals

I suggest a tutoring by another student on this, it is really simple, you are having undoubtably a mental block. It is rather difficult to teach on a text format.

It is really simple..

Here is an interactive site that may be of help. Bob Pursley found this and I saw it yesterday.
http://www.iun.edu/~cpanhd/C101webnotes/modern-atomic-theory/aufbau-principle.html

+WHAT IS THE ELECTRON CONFIGURATION FOR THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS p,li,ca ga as

3 answers

Hi i'm not sure if you still need the answers but here they are (in condensed form):

P: [Ne] 3s2 3p3
Li: [He] 2s1
Ca: [Ar] 4s2
Ga: [Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p1
As: [Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p3

Valance Electrons?

I hate chemistry