Multiple Choice
How many occupied electron shells does a neutral magnesium atom have in its ground-state electronic configuration?
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9. Electrons in Atoms and the Periodic Table
Electronic Structure: Shells
Multiple Choice
Nitrogen has atomic number 7. In its ground-state electronic structure, how many occupied electron shells (principal energy levels) does a nitrogen atom have?
A
1 shell
B
2 shells
C
7 shells
D
3 shells
Verified step by step guidance1
Recall that the atomic number of nitrogen is 7, which means it has 7 electrons in its neutral ground state.
Understand that electrons fill shells (principal energy levels) starting from the lowest energy level (n=1) and moving outward.
The first shell (n=1) can hold up to 2 electrons, so fill this shell first with 2 electrons.
The remaining electrons (7 - 2 = 5) go into the second shell (n=2), which can hold up to 8 electrons.
Since all 7 electrons occupy only the first and second shells, nitrogen has 2 occupied electron shells in its ground-state electronic structure.
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