Multiple Choice
How many electron shells are present in a neutral cesium (Cs) atom?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
The Electron Configuration
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Which orbital notation represents an atom of beryllium (Be) in the ground state?
A
1s^2 2p^2
B
1s^2 2s^1 2p^1
C
1s^2 2s^1
D
1s^2 2s^2
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the atomic number of beryllium (Be), which is 4. This means a neutral Be atom has 4 electrons.
Recall the order in which electrons fill orbitals according to the Aufbau principle: electrons fill the lowest energy orbitals first.
Write the electron configuration by filling orbitals in order: first fill the 1s orbital with 2 electrons, then the 2s orbital with the remaining 2 electrons.
Express the electron configuration using orbital notation, showing the number of electrons in each orbital: $1s^2 2s^2$.
Verify that this configuration corresponds to the ground state of beryllium, where all electrons occupy the lowest possible energy levels without unpaired electrons in higher orbitals.
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