Multiple Choice
Which of the following electron configurations represents an atom of chlorine (atomic number 17) in an excited state?
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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 a neutral carbon (C) atom?
A
1s^2 2s^2 3s^2
B
1s^2 2s^2 2p^4
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^2
D
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Determine the atomic number of carbon (C), which tells you the number of electrons in a neutral atom. Carbon has an atomic number of 6, so it has 6 electrons.
Step 2: Recall the order in which electron orbitals are filled according to the Aufbau principle: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, and so on.
Step 3: Fill the orbitals with electrons starting from the lowest energy level. The 1s orbital can hold 2 electrons, so fill it first: $1s^2$.
Step 4: Next, fill the 2s orbital with 2 electrons: $2s^2$. Now, 4 electrons are accounted for (2 in 1s and 2 in 2s).
Step 5: The remaining 2 electrons go into the 2p orbital, which can hold up to 6 electrons. So, the configuration continues as $2p^2$. Therefore, the full electron configuration is $1s^2 2s^2 2p^2$.
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