Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct electron configuration for tin (Sn)?
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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 potassium (K) atom in its ground state?
A
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^1
B
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 3d^10
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4p^1
D
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 3d^1
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Identify the atomic number of potassium (K), which is 19. This means a neutral potassium atom has 19 electrons to arrange in its electron configuration.
Step 2: Recall the order of filling electron orbitals based on the Aufbau principle, which is: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, then 3d, and so on.
Step 3: Fill the orbitals in order with the correct number of electrons until you reach 19 electrons. For example, 1s can hold 2 electrons, 2s holds 2, 2p holds 6, 3s holds 2, 3p holds 6, and then 4s holds 2 electrons.
Step 4: Since potassium has 19 electrons, after filling up to 3p (which accounts for 18 electrons), the 19th electron goes into the 4s orbital, not the 3d or 4p orbitals.
Step 5: Write the full electron configuration by combining all filled orbitals: $1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^1$, which corresponds to the ground state electron configuration of potassium.
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