[geo driver (OP)]

i dont get this help us out

[Chemistry4me]

Why? Because that's the way it is.

[geo driver (OP)]

ok but i thought that the atom always fill the lowest energy level first then the diagram of the 3d orbital should be lower

[geo driver (OP)]

and yes iv just got into chemistry

[Chemistry4me]

Because the 4s orbital has a lower energy than the 3d orbitals so it fills up first. You'll find that the 5s orbitals will fill up before 4d and 7s before 5f etc... along with many others, for the full list http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Electron_orbitals.svg at the bottom you'll see the energies.

and yes iv just got into chemistry

Don't worry, me too  [] we can learn together!

[geo driver (OP)]

sold

cheers buddy. it just looked mega odd to me. my studys start next year but alittle background reading reserch never hurt any one

[Chemistry4me]

my studys start next year but alittle background reading reserch never hurt any one

Indeed, I know what you mean. Good Luck!

[geo driver (OP)]

cheers

[lightarrow]

i dont get this help us out

The principal quantum number n (the "4" of the "4s") doesn't mean that every level with that number "must" have greater energy than any level in the lower number. That number just comes out solving the Schrödinger equation of the atom. Then we find that *in general* greater numbers means greater energies, but it's not a rule, only a...curiosity.