Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct orbital diagram for a nitrogen atom (atomic number 7)?
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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 neutral sulfur atom?
A
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^5
B
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4
D
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^2
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Determine the atomic number of sulfur, which tells you the total number of electrons in a neutral sulfur atom. Sulfur has an atomic number of 16, so it has 16 electrons.
Step 2: Recall the order in which electron orbitals are filled according to the Aufbau principle: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, and so on.
Step 3: Fill the orbitals with electrons following the maximum capacity of each orbital: 1s can hold 2 electrons, 2s can hold 2, 2p can hold 6, 3s can hold 2, and 3p can hold 6.
Step 4: Add electrons in order until you reach 16 electrons total: 2 in 1s, 2 in 2s, 6 in 2p, 2 in 3s, and the remaining 4 in 3p orbitals.
Step 5: Write the electron configuration based on the distribution: $1s^{2} 2s^{2} 2p^{6} 3s^{2} 3p^{4}$, which corresponds to the correct configuration for a neutral sulfur atom.
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