Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct electron configuration for Mg?
3
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
The Electron Configuration
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Which of the following represents the ground-state electron configuration of sulfur (S)?
A
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^3
B
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^2
D
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Determine the atomic number of sulfur (S). Sulfur has an atomic number of 16, which means it has 16 electrons in its neutral ground state.
Step 2: Recall the order of filling electron orbitals according to the Aufbau principle: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, etc. Electrons fill the lowest energy orbitals first.
Step 3: Fill the orbitals with electrons following the order and the maximum number of electrons each can hold: 1s (2 electrons), 2s (2 electrons), 2p (6 electrons), 3s (2 electrons), and then 3p (6 electrons max).
Step 4: Add the electrons for sulfur: 2 in 1s, 2 in 2s, 6 in 2p, 2 in 3s, and the remaining 4 electrons go into 3p to reach a total of 16 electrons.
Step 5: Write the ground-state electron configuration for sulfur as $1s^{2} 2s^{2} 2p^{6} 3s^{2} 3p^{4}$, which matches the correct answer.
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