Before generation
Use after a learner writes a full configuration and the first question is whether its occupancy count and subshell capacities fit the stated species. The workbench does not verify lowest-energy order, Hund pairing, electron spin, excited states, condensed notation, transition-metal exceptions, or the convention for removing electrons from transition-metal ions.
Worked example
Sodium has eleven protons and neutral charge, so its parsed tokens total eleven. Oxide has eight protons and charge negative two, so ten electrons are expected and found. The magnesium ion configuration totals the correct ten electrons, but the learner count says twelve and is flagged. Neutral chlorine reconciles at seventeen.
Formula or methodology
Expected electrons equal proton count minus signed ionic charge. Each token supplies principal shell, subshell letter, and occupancy. Capacities are s two, p six, d ten, and f fourteen; p begins at shell two, d at three, and f at four. Duplicate orbital labels are rejected, then valid occupancies are summed and compared with both expected and claimed counts.
How to interpret the result
A supported row means the entered configuration tokens are syntactically valid, stay within the bounded capacities, total the expected species electron count, and agree with the learner count. It does not establish the correct ground-state arrangement. Use the report to locate count evidence, then inspect energy order, diagrams, pairing, and known exceptions with the approved course model.
Common mistakes
Do not use mass number as proton count, reverse the sign effect of ionic charge, exceed subshell capacity, duplicate an orbital, omit inner electrons in a full-notation task, or treat a correct total as proof of correct arrangement. Confirm element identity, ion charge, notation convention, filling order, and exception policy separately.