Multiple Choice
What is the ground-state electron configuration of selenium (Se, ) using noble-gas shorthand?
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9. Electrons in Atoms and the Periodic Table
The Electron Configuration (Simplified)
Multiple Choice
What is the ground-state electron configuration of silicon (Si)?
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Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the atomic number of silicon (Si), which tells you the total number of electrons to be arranged. Silicon has an atomic number of 14, so it has 14 electrons.
Recall the order in which electron orbitals are filled according to the Aufbau principle: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, and so on.
Distribute the 14 electrons into the orbitals following the order and the maximum number of electrons each orbital can hold: s orbitals hold 2 electrons, p orbitals hold 6 electrons.
Fill the orbitals step-by-step: 1s orbital gets 2 electrons, 2s orbital gets 2 electrons, 2p orbital gets 6 electrons, 3s orbital gets 2 electrons, and finally place the remaining electrons in the 3p orbital.
Write the electron configuration by listing the orbitals and the number of electrons in each, using the format \(n\ell^{x}\) where \(n\) is the principal quantum number, \(\ell\) is the orbital type (s, p, d, f), and \(x\) is the number of electrons in that orbital.
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