Multiple Choice
What is the total number of electrons required to completely fill the first two main energy levels (n = 1 and n = 2) of an atom?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
The Electron Configuration
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Which of the following represents the correct ground-state electron configuration for a neutral carbon atom?
A
1s^2 2s^2 2p^4
B
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^2
D
1s^2 2s^1 2p^3
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Identify the atomic number of carbon, which is 6. This means a neutral carbon atom has 6 electrons.
Step 2: Recall the order of filling electron orbitals according to the Aufbau principle: fill the lowest energy orbitals first. The order starts with 1s, then 2s, then 2p.
Step 3: Fill the 1s orbital with 2 electrons: $1s^2$.
Step 4: Fill the 2s orbital with 2 electrons: $2s^2$.
Step 5: Place the remaining 2 electrons in the 2p orbitals: $2p^2$. So, the full ground-state electron configuration is $1s^2 2s^2 2p^2$.
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