Electron Configuration of Hydrogen (H)
Hydrogen (H, Z = 1) has the electron configuration 1s^1, filling 1 shell with 1 electrons.
This is the fast lane: one page, one fact, zero digressions. Read the quick answer, check the table, and if your exam needs the full derivation, the sections below walk through it step by step — in Bangla and English, like every page here. Need the whole picture instead — history, characteristics, uses, exam questions? The full Hydrogen page is one click away.
Hydrogen: every subshell, one by one
The table below unpacks 1s^1 line by line, so you can watch Hydrogen's 1 electrons take their seats in order of increasing energy.
| Subshell | Electrons | Total so far |
|---|---|---|
| 1s | 1 | 1 |
Electrons per shell (K, L, M…)
Grouped by principal quantum number instead of subshell, Hydrogen carries 1 in shell 1. The outermost shell holds 1 electron — the ones that do all the bonding.
How to derive it yourself
Follow the aufbau order (1s → 2s → 2p → 3s → 3p → 4s → 3d → …), pouring 1 electrons into orbitals of capacity 2 (s), 6 (p), 10 (d) and 14 (f) until none remain. Write the filled inner shells as the nearest noble-gas core — for Hydrogen that gives 1s^1.
Students also ask
How many electron shells does Hydrogen have?
Hydrogen is in period 1, so its electrons occupy 1 shell, holding 1 electrons respectively.
How many valence electrons does Hydrogen have?
Its outermost shell holds 1 electron, so Hydrogen has 1 valence electron that take part in bonding.
What is the noble-gas shorthand for Hydrogen?
Hydrogen sits before the first noble gas, so its full configuration 1s^1 has no core to shorten.