Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct electron configuration for the element phosphorus (atomic number 15)?
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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 tellurium (Te)?
A
[Kr] 4d8 5s2 5p6
B
[Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p4
C
[Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p4
D
[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p4
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Identify the atomic number of tellurium (Te), which is 52. This tells us how many electrons we need to place in the electron configuration.
Step 2: Recall the order of filling electron orbitals based on the Aufbau principle, which fills orbitals in order of increasing energy: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, and so on.
Step 3: Recognize that the noble gas core preceding tellurium is krypton (Kr), which accounts for the first 36 electrons. So, the electron configuration will start with [Kr].
Step 4: After [Kr], fill the 4d, 5s, and 5p orbitals with the remaining electrons. Since tellurium has 52 electrons, subtract 36 (from Kr) to get 16 electrons to place in these orbitals.
Step 5: Distribute these 16 electrons as follows: 10 electrons fill the 4d orbital, 2 electrons fill the 5s orbital, and the remaining 4 electrons go into the 5p orbital, resulting in the configuration [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p4.
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