A study of common student misconceptions in the topic of electronic configuration

Background and Objective: To enhance the quality of education at a broader level and to cultivate a thoughtful and critical generation, identifying and addressing students’ common misconceptions is essential. This effort is not merely aimed at improving academic grades, but represents a fundamental investment in education. In recent years, various studies have investigated students’ misconceptions in secondary school concepts. The present article focuses on examining some of the prevalent misconceptions among tenth-grade high school students in chemistry, specifically in the topic of electron configuration. Methods: To identify and examine these misconceptions, a multiple-choice questionnaire was designed for each section concerning the concept of electron configuration. This study was conducted using a descriptive-analytical approach among 60 tenth-grade students at Saadi High School, District 3, Isfahan, during the 2024–2025 academic year. Findings: The analysis indicates that many of these students exhibited misconceptions in at least one of the concepts under investigation. Evident misconceptions among this group of students in the present study include the order of sublevel filling, exceptions to the Aufbau rule, the sequence of electron removal during cation formation, and determining the electron configuration of a neutral atom from its corresponding ion. Conclusion. The use of innovative teaching methods, particularly visual aids such as images and educational videos that present textbook concepts in a visually accessible manner, can be an effective step toward addressing some of these misconceptions. Implementing structured, step-by-step frameworks for solving problems, and especially actively involving students in discussions, are among other recommended strategies.