Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct electron configuration for a neutral phosphorus (P) atom?
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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 nitrogen atom?
A
1s^2 2s^2 2p^3
B
1s^2 2s^1 2p^4
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6
D
1s^2 2s^2 2p^5
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Determine the atomic number of nitrogen, which tells you the total number of electrons. Nitrogen has an atomic number of 7, so it has 7 electrons.
Step 2: Recall the order in which electron orbitals are filled according to the Aufbau principle: 1s, 2s, then 2p.
Step 3: Fill the electrons into the orbitals starting from the lowest energy level. The 1s orbital can hold 2 electrons, so fill it as $1s^{2}$.
Step 4: Next, fill the 2s orbital, which can also hold 2 electrons, so fill it as $2s^{2}$.
Step 5: The remaining electrons go into the 2p orbitals. Since nitrogen has 7 electrons total, after filling 1s and 2s orbitals, 3 electrons remain for the 2p orbitals, so fill it as $2p^{3}$.
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