Electron Configuration and Orbital Notation

What atom matches this electron configuration?
1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶4s²3d¹⁰

• Zinc

• Copper

• Nickel

• Germanium

Answer explanation

The electron configuration 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ corresponds to a total of 30 electrons, which is the atomic number of Zinc (Zn). Therefore, the correct answer is Zinc.

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The electron configuration of an atom is 1s²2s²2p⁶.  The number of electrons in the atom is 

• 3

• 6

• 8

• 10

Answer explanation

The electron configuration 1s²2s²2p⁶ indicates there are 2 electrons in the 1s subshell, 2 in the 2s subshell, and 6 in the 2p subshell. Adding these gives 2 + 2 + 6 = 10 electrons in total, making the correct answer 10.

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This orbital diagram represents:  

• C

• B

• N

• O

Answer explanation

The orbital diagram shows 8 electrons, which corresponds to the element oxygen (O) in the periodic table. Oxygen has an atomic number of 8, confirming that the correct answer is O.

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Which element is pictured?

• neon

• fluorine

• magnesium

• argon

Answer explanation

The element pictured is neon, which is a noble gas known for its distinct reddish-orange glow when electrified. The other options, fluorine, magnesium, and argon, do not exhibit this characteristic appearance.

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How many electrons can the s sublevel hold?

• 14

• 10

• 2

• 6

Answer explanation

The s sublevel can hold a maximum of 2 electrons. This is due to the Pauli exclusion principle, which states that no two electrons can have the same set of quantum numbers, allowing only two electrons in the s sublevel.

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How many electrons can the p sublevel hold?

• 14

• 10

• 2

• 6

Answer explanation

The p sublevel can hold a maximum of 6 electrons. This is because there are three p orbitals, and each orbital can hold 2 electrons, resulting in 3 x 2 = 6 electrons.

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 The diagram above represents two electrons with 

• a. opposite spins.

•  b. the same spin.

• c. different energies.

• d. different energy levels.

Answer explanation

Electrons are fermions and must obey the Pauli exclusion principle, which states that no two electrons can have the same set of quantum numbers. Therefore, the two electrons must have opposite spins.

What are the four energy sublevels?

• s, p, d, and f

• a, b, c, and d

• w, x, y, and z

• 1, 2, 3, and 4

Answer explanation

The four energy sublevels are s, p, d, and f. These sublevels represent different shapes and orientations of electron clouds in an atom, which are essential for understanding electron configurations.

Each energy sublevel has different numbers of orbitals. How many electrons can one orbital hold?

Answer explanation

One orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons, which is due to the Pauli exclusion principle. Therefore, the correct answer is 'two' or '2', not '0'.

If the f energy sublevel has a total of seven orbitals, what is the maximum number of electrons that it can hold?

• 2

• 10

• 14

• 6

Answer explanation

The f sublevel has 7 orbitals, and each orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons. Therefore, the total number of electrons is 7 orbitals x 2 electrons/orbital = 14 electrons. Thus, the correct answer is 14.