Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the complete electron configuration for a neutral fluorine atom?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
The Electron Configuration
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Which of the following represents the ground state electron configuration of boron (B)?
A
1s^2 2s^1 2p^2
B
1s^2 2s^1 2p^3
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^2
D
1s^2 2s^2 2p^1
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Determine the atomic number of boron (B), which tells you the total number of electrons. Boron has an atomic number of 5, so it has 5 electrons.
Step 2: Recall the order in which electron orbitals are filled according to the Aufbau principle: electrons fill orbitals starting from the lowest energy level to higher ones. The order for the first 5 electrons is 1s, then 2s, then 2p.
Step 3: Fill the electrons into the orbitals following the Pauli exclusion principle and Hund's rule. The 1s orbital can hold 2 electrons, the 2s orbital can hold 2 electrons, and the remaining electron goes into the 2p orbital.
Step 4: Write the electron configuration by placing the electrons in the orbitals accordingly: 1s^2 (2 electrons), 2s^2 (2 electrons), and 2p^1 (1 electron).
Step 5: Compare the given options with the correct configuration you wrote. The correct ground state electron configuration for boron is $1s^2 2s^2 2p^1$.
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