Multiple Choice
Which of the following represents the correct electron configuration for a neutral carbon 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 silicon (Si)?
A
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4
B
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^2
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6
D
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^1
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Identify the atomic number of silicon (Si), which tells you the total number of electrons. Silicon has an atomic number of 14, so it has 14 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 Pauli exclusion principle and Hund's rule, starting from the lowest energy level. The first 2 electrons fill 1s, the next 2 fill 2s, then 6 fill 2p, followed by 2 in 3s.
Step 4: After filling 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2, place the remaining electrons (14 - 12 = 2) in the 3p orbital, since it can hold up to 6 electrons.
Step 5: Write the full electron configuration for silicon as $1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^2$, which matches the correct answer.
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