Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct electron configuration for boron (atomic number 5)?
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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 sulfur (S) atom in its ground state?
A
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2
B
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6
D
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^2
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the atomic number of sulfur (S), which is 16. This means a neutral sulfur atom has 16 electrons.
Recall the order in which electron orbitals are filled according to the Aufbau principle: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, and so on.
Distribute the 16 electrons into the orbitals following the order and the maximum number of electrons each orbital can hold: 1s (2), 2s (2), 2p (6), 3s (2), and 3p (6).
Since sulfur has 16 electrons, after filling 1s, 2s, 2p, and 3s orbitals, place the remaining electrons in the 3p orbital. The 3p orbital can hold up to 6 electrons, but sulfur only has 4 electrons left for 3p.
Write the electron configuration by combining all filled orbitals with their respective electron counts: $1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4$.
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