Multiple Choice
Which electron configuration correctly represents a neutral lithium atom (atomic number 3) in the ground state?
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9. Electrons in Atoms and the Periodic Table
The Electron Configuration (Simplified)
Multiple Choice
In the simplified electron configuration notation, what is the electron configuration for a phosphorus atom (P), which has 15 electrons?
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Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Identify the total number of electrons in a phosphorus atom. Since phosphorus has an atomic number of 15, it has 15 electrons.
Step 2: Recall the order in which electron orbitals are filled according to the Aufbau principle: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, then 3p.
Step 3: Fill the orbitals with electrons following the maximum capacity of each: 1s can hold 2 electrons, 2s can hold 2, 2p can hold 6, 3s can hold 2, and 3p can hold up to 6 electrons.
Step 4: Distribute the 15 electrons into these orbitals in order: fill 1s with 2 electrons, 2s with 2 electrons, 2p with 6 electrons, 3s with 2 electrons, and place the remaining electrons in 3p.
Step 5: Write the simplified electron configuration by combining the filled orbitals and their electron counts, resulting in \(1\,s^{2} 2\,s^{2} 2\,p^{6} 3\,s^{2} 3\,p^{3}\).
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