Multiple Choice
Which of the following represents the correct electron configuration for a neutral atom of silicon?
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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 argon?
A
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3d^6
B
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^2
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4
D
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Identify the atomic number of argon, which tells you the total number of electrons in a neutral atom. Argon has an atomic number of 18, so it has 18 electrons.
Step 2: Recall the order in which electron orbitals are filled according to the Aufbau principle: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, and so on.
Step 3: Distribute the 18 electrons into the orbitals following the maximum number of electrons each can hold: 1s (2 electrons), 2s (2 electrons), 2p (6 electrons), 3s (2 electrons), and 3p (6 electrons).
Step 4: Write the electron configuration by listing the orbitals and their electron counts in order: $1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6$.
Step 5: Verify that the total number of electrons adds up to 18 and that the configuration matches the known stable configuration for argon, confirming it is correct.
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