To show the electron configuration for an atom, when would it be better to use an orbital notation than to use a written configuration with numbers, letters, and superscripts?

Orbital notation uses boxes or lines for orbitals and arrows for electrons, so it shows each electron’s spin as up or down. A written configuration such as 1s² 2s² does not show the spins of individual electrons. Therefore, orbital notation is better when the aim is to show electron spins.

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