Final answer:
Palladium has the electron configuration 1s² 2s² 2p¶ 3s² 3p¶ 4s² 3d±° 4p¶ 5s° 4d±°. This configuration is due to the specific order of orbital filling and palladium's unique position among the transition metals with a completely filled 4d subshell.
Step-by-step explanation:
The full electronic structure for the element palladium (Pd), with atomic number 46, reflects the order of orbitals as described by the aufbau principle, which dictates the sequence in which orbitals are filled. Following the order 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, and 6p, we can determine the electron configuration of palladium.
Palladium's electron configuration ends in the 4d subshell, which is filled before the 5p subshell according to the sequence provided. By referring to the sequence and counting up to palladium's atomic number, the electron configuration is as follows:
1s² 2s² 2p¶ 3s² 3p¶ 4s² 3d±° 4p¶ 5s° 4d±°
Notice that the 5s orbital is empty in the case of palladium, which is an exception to the expected electron filling order. This results in a completely filled 4d subshell with ten electrons. This unique configuration is a reflection of palladium's position in the periodic table among the transition metals and illustrates that its properties are influenced by the filled d subshell.