Multiple Choice
Which of the following represents the electron configuration of a ground-state vanadium (V) atom?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
The Electron Configuration
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Which of the following represents the correct electron configuration for a neutral atom of nitrogen?
A
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6
B
1s^2 2s^2 2p^3
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^5
D
1s^2 2s^1 2p^4
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Determine the atomic number of nitrogen, which tells you the number of electrons in a neutral atom. 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 completely: $1s^2$.
Step 4: Next, fill the 2s orbital, which also holds 2 electrons: $2s^2$.
Step 5: The remaining electrons go into the 2p orbitals. Since nitrogen has 7 electrons total, after filling 1s and 2s (4 electrons), place the remaining 3 electrons in the 2p orbitals: $2p^3$.
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