Dr. Zohra Sattar Waxali earned her doctorate in chemistry and biochemistry from Northwestern University, specializing in the metallomes of cardiac cells and stem cells, and their impact on biological function. Her research encompasses the development of arsenoplatin chemotherapeutics, stapled peptide estrogen receptor inhibitors, and antimicrobial natural products.
, PhD (Chemistry)
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Welcome to the Electron Configuration Quiz! Test your understanding of how electrons are arranged in atoms by exploring key concepts like energy levels, subshells, orbitals, and electron configurations. This quiz covers fundamental principles such as the Aufbau principle, Hund's rule, and the Pauli exclusion principle to challenge your grasp of electron distribution.
Whether you're a student prepping for exams, a teacher seeking valuable classroom resources, or simply an enthusiast eager to deepen your knowledge, this quiz offers questions ranging from simple electron configurations to the more complex arrangements of transition metals and f-block elements.
Each question is accompanied by detailed Read moreexplanations to help you learn and correct mistakes, providing a comprehensive and interactive learning experience. Take the Electron Configuration Quiz today and see how well you understand the fascinating world of atomic theory! Challenge yourself and improve your skills now!
Electron Configuration Questions and Answers
1.
Write the full electron configuration for the following element.
Nickel
Your answer should be in this format: 1s2 2s2 2p6 ... (there is a space between each orbital)
Explanation The electron configuration for nickel is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d8.
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2.
Write the full electron configuration for the following element.
Helium
Your answer should be in this format: 1s2 2s2 2p6 ... (there is a space between each orbital)
Explanation The electron configuration for helium is 1s2. This means that there are two electrons in the 1s orbital of the helium atom. The first number (1) represents the principal quantum number, which indicates the energy level of the orbital. The letter (s) represents the type of orbital, in this case, a spherically symmetric orbital. The second number (2) represents the number of electrons in that orbital. Therefore, the electron configuration for helium is 1s2.
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3.
Write the full electron configuration for the following element.
Aluminum
Your answer should be in this format: 1s2 2s2 2p6 ... (there is a space between each orbital)
Explanation The electron configuration of aluminum is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p1. This means that the first energy level (n=1) contains 2 electrons in the 1s orbital. The second energy level (n=2) contains 2 electrons in the 2s orbital and 6 electrons in the 2p orbital. The third energy level (n=3) contains 2 electrons in the 3s orbital and 1 electron in the 3p orbital.
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4.
Write the full electron configuration for the following element.
Sulfur
Your answer should be in this format: 1s2 2s2 2p6 ... (there is a space between each orbital)
Explanation The electron configuration for sulfur is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4. This means that sulfur has two electrons in the 1s orbital, two electrons in the 2s orbital, six electrons in the 2p orbital, two electrons in the 3s orbital, and four electrons in the 3p orbital.
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5.
Write the full electron configuration for the following element.
Krypton
Your answer should be in this format: 1s2 2s2 2p6 ... (there is a space between each orbital)
Explanation The electron configuration for Krypton is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6.
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6.
Write the full electron configuration for the following element.
Cadmium (48)
Your answer should be in this format: 1s2 2s2 2p6 ... (there is a space between each orbital)
Write the full electron configuration for the following element.
Platinum (78)
Your answer should be in this format: 1s2 2s2 2p6 ... (there is a space between each orbital)
8.
Write the full electron configuration for the following element.
Zinc
Your answer should be in this format: 1s2 2s2 2p6 ... (there is a space between each orbital)
Explanation The electron configuration for zinc is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10.
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9.
Write the full electron configuration for the following element.
Hydrogen
Your answer should be in this format: 1s2 2s2 2p6 ... (there is a space between each orbital)
Explanation The electron configuration for hydrogen is 1s1. This means that hydrogen has one electron in its 1s orbital.
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10.
Write the full electron configuration for the following element.
Carbon
Your answer should be in this format: 1s2 2s2 2p6 ... (there is a space between each orbital)
Explanation The electron configuration of carbon can be determined by following the Aufbau principle and the Pauli exclusion principle. The Aufbau principle states that electrons fill the lowest energy levels first, and the Pauli exclusion principle states that each orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons with opposite spins. Carbon has 6 electrons, so the electron configuration can be written as follows: 1s2 2s2 2p2.
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11.
What element has the following electron configuration:
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p5
Explanation The given electron configuration matches that of bromine, which has an atomic number of 35. The electron configuration shows that bromine has 35 electrons distributed in different energy levels and orbitals. The numbers in front of the orbitals represent the principal energy levels (1, 2, 3, 4) and the letters represent the type of orbital (s, p, d). The superscripts represent the number of electrons in each orbital. In this case, the electron configuration shows that bromine has 2 electrons in the 1s orbital, 2 electrons in the 2s orbital, 6 electrons in the 2p orbital, 2 electrons in the 3s orbital, 6 electrons in the 3p orbital, 2 electrons in the 4s orbital, 10 electrons in the 3d orbital, and 5 electrons in the 4p orbital.
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12.
What element has the following electron configuration:
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 4f14 5d10
Explanation The given electron configuration corresponds to the element mercury (Hg). Mercury is a transition metal with atomic number 80. Its electron configuration shows that it has a full outer shell, which makes it a stable element. The 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 represents the filling of the electron shells up to the 6s orbital, and the 4f14 5d10 represents the filling of the 4f and 5d orbitals. Overall, the electron configuration matches that of mercury.
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13.
What element has the following electron configuration:
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2
Explanation The given electron configuration corresponds to the element strontium. Strontium has an atomic number of 38, and its electron configuration matches the one provided. The numbers and letters in the electron configuration represent the energy levels (1s, 2s, 2p, etc.) and the number of electrons in each level (2, 6, 10, etc.).
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14.
What element has the following electron configuration:
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 4f14 5d10 6p6 7s1
Explanation The given electron configuration corresponds to the element francium. Francium is a highly reactive alkali metal with atomic number 87. It has 87 electrons, and the electron configuration provided matches the pattern for francium. The configuration starts with 1s2 and continues through the various energy levels and subshells until it reaches the final electron in the 7s1 orbital. Therefore, the correct answer is francium.
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15.
What element has the following electron configuration:
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2
Explanation The given electron configuration corresponds to the element magnesium. Magnesium has an atomic number of 12, meaning it has 12 electrons. The electron configuration 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 indicates that the first energy level (1s) is filled with 2 electrons, the second energy level (2s) is filled with 2 electrons, the second energy level (2p) is filled with 6 electrons, and the third energy level (3s) is filled with 2 electrons. This matches the electron configuration for magnesium, confirming it as the correct answer.
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16.
What element has the following electron configuration:
1s2 2s2 2p4
Explanation The electron configuration 1s2 2s2 2p4 corresponds to the element oxygen. This configuration indicates that there are two electrons in the 1s orbital, two electrons in the 2s orbital, and four electrons in the 2p orbital. Oxygen has 8 electrons in total, with 6 of them in the outermost energy level. This configuration is consistent with the electron configuration of oxygen, making it the correct answer.
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17.
Write the abbreviated (noble gas) electron configuration for the following element.
oxygen
Your answer should be in this format: [Ne] 3s2 3p6 ... (there is a space between each orbital)
Explanation The electron configuration of oxygen is [He] 2s2 2p4. This means that oxygen has two electrons in the 2s orbital and four electrons in the 2p orbital. The noble gas abbreviation indicates that the electron configuration of oxygen is similar to that of the noble gas helium, which has two electrons in its outermost energy level.
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18.
Write the abbreviated (noble gas) electron configuration for the following element.
Iodine
Your answer should be in this format: [Ne] 3s2 3p6 ... (there is a space between each orbital)
Explanation The electron configuration of an element represents how the electrons are distributed in its atomic orbitals. The abbreviated (noble gas) electron configuration allows us to represent the distribution of electrons by using the noble gas that comes before the element and then adding the remaining orbitals. In the case of iodine, the noble gas that comes before it is krypton (Kr), which has the electron configuration [Kr] 5s2 4d10 5p6. Since iodine has one less electron than krypton in the 5p orbital, its abbreviated electron configuration is [Kr] 5s2 4d10 5p5.
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19.
Write the abbreviated (noble gas) electron configuration for the following element.
Silver
Your answer should be in this format: [Ne] 3s2 3p6 ... (there is a space between each orbital)
Explanation The element silver (Ag) has an atomic number of 47, which means it has 47 electrons. The noble gas electron configuration represents the electron configuration of the nearest noble gas element that comes before silver in the periodic table, which is krypton (Kr, atomic number 36). The noble gas electron configuration is written in brackets, followed by the electron configuration of the remaining electrons.
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20.
Write the abbreviated (noble gas) electron configuration for the following element.
Radium (88)
Your answer should be in this format: [Ne] 3s2 3p6 ... (there is a space between each orbital)
Explanation The element Radium (88) has an atomic number of 88, which means it has 88 electrons. The noble gas electron configuration represents the electron configuration of the nearest noble gas element that comes before Radium in the periodic table, which is Radon (86). The noble gas electron configuration is written in brackets, followed by the electron configuration of the remaining electrons. Therefore, the abbreviated (noble gas) electron configuration for Radium is [Rn] 7s2, where [Rn] represents the electron configuration of Radon and 7s2 represents the remaining two electrons in the 7s orbital of Radium.
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Zohra Sattar Waxali |PhD (Chemistry)|
Chemistry
Dr. Zohra Sattar Waxali earned her doctorate in chemistry and biochemistry from Northwestern University, specializing in the metallomes of cardiac cells and stem cells, and their impact on biological function. Her research encompasses the development of arsenoplatin chemotherapeutics, stapled peptide estrogen receptor inhibitors, and antimicrobial natural products.
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