Multiple Choice
Which of the following represents the ground-state electron configuration of the sulfide ion, S^{2-}?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
The Electron Configuration
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Which of the following is the correct electron configuration for the chloride ion, Cl⁻?
A
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4
B
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^5
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6
D
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^3
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Identify the atomic number of chlorine (Cl), which is 17. This means a neutral chlorine atom has 17 electrons.
Step 2: Understand that the chloride ion (Cl⁻) has gained one extra electron, so it has 18 electrons in total.
Step 3: Write the electron configuration for 18 electrons by filling the orbitals in order of increasing energy: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, and 3p.
Step 4: Recall the maximum number of electrons each subshell can hold: 1s (2), 2s (2), 2p (6), 3s (2), and 3p (6).
Step 5: Combine these to write the full electron configuration for Cl⁻ as $1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6$, which corresponds to a filled 3p subshell.
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