Electronic structure - Outer shell

[benedwards2020]

Can someone tell me how the outer shell structure is determined from the electronic structure. I know i can look this up but I'd like to know how it is derived and are there any rules I should follow so i can determine them myself?

 

[Gokul43201]

The outer shell structure is just a subset of the full electronic configuration.

eg: http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/text/Na/econ.html

For determining the full electronic configuration from the atomc number, see: http://www.science.uwaterloo.ca/~cchieh/cact/c120/eleconfg.html

 

[phy-79]

I may not got the point correct, but all i know about the last shell is that its where electrons are lost and gained depending on the electropositive or electropositive nature of the element.
The atomic number of the element can help you identify the number of electrons in the atom.
the number of electrons in a particular orbit is given by 2n^2(you may know all this, but still).
the atom doesn't becum stale until it has an octet config.