Multiple Choice
Write the electron arrangement for the following element:Calcium (Z = 20)
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9. Electrons in Atoms and the Periodic Table
Electron Arrangements
Multiple Choice
Which electron arrangement (electron configuration) corresponds to a neutral sulfur atom (S)?
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Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Determine the atomic number of sulfur (S). The atomic number tells you the total number of electrons in a neutral 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. The filling order is: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, and so on.
Step 3: Distribute the 16 electrons into the orbitals following the maximum electron capacity of each orbital: s orbitals hold 2 electrons, p orbitals hold 6 electrons. Fill orbitals in order until all 16 electrons are placed.
Step 4: Write the electron configuration by listing each filled orbital with its electron count as a superscript, for example, \(1\,s^{2}\) means the 1s orbital has 2 electrons.
Step 5: Verify that the total number of electrons in your configuration adds up to 16 and that the distribution follows the correct order and maximum capacities for each orbital.
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