Multiple Choice
Which of the following represents the electron configuration of a sulfur atom (atomic number 16) in its ground state?
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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 the oxide ion, O^{2-}?
A
1s^2 2s^2 2p^5
B
1s^2 2s^2 2p^4
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6
D
1s^2 2s^2 2p^3
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Identify the atomic number of oxygen (O), which is 8. This means a neutral oxygen atom has 8 electrons.
Step 2: Understand that the oxide ion, O^{2-}, has gained 2 extra electrons, so the total number of electrons is 8 + 2 = 10.
Step 3: Write the electron configuration for 10 electrons by filling the orbitals in order of increasing energy: 1s, 2s, then 2p.
Step 4: Fill the 1s orbital with 2 electrons, the 2s orbital with 2 electrons, and the 2p orbitals with the remaining 6 electrons.
Step 5: Conclude that the correct electron configuration for O^{2-} is $1s^2 2s^2 2p^6$, which corresponds to a full 2p subshell.
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