Multiple Choice
What is the electron configuration of tellurium (Te)?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
The Electron Configuration
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Which of the following is the correct shorthand electron configuration for a sulfur (S) atom?
A
[Ar] 3s2 3p4
B
[Ne] 3s2 3p6
C
[He] 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4
D
[Ne] 3s2 3p4
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 of filling electron orbitals according to the Aufbau principle: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, and so on.
Write the full electron configuration for sulfur by filling orbitals up to 16 electrons: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4.
Recognize that noble gas shorthand notation uses the electron configuration of the previous noble gas to simplify the notation. The noble gas before sulfur is neon (Ne), which has 10 electrons with configuration 1s2 2s2 2p6.
Replace the full configuration up to neon with [Ne], then add the remaining electrons for sulfur: [Ne] 3s2 3p4.
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