The electron arrangement of any particular atom shows A) the number of isotopes possible. B) a description of the shape of each energy level. C) the number of electrons in each energy level. D) a diagram of an atomic nucleus. E) the maximum number of electrons each energy level can hold.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer: C) the number of electrons in each energy level.
The electron arrangement of an atom, also known as the electron configuration, shows how electrons are distributed among the different energy levels or shells around the nucleus of an atom. This arrangement is important because it determines how an atom will interact with other atoms, including how it bonds and reacts chemically.
Atoms are made up of a nucleus containing protons and neutrons, with electrons arranged in energy levels or shells around the nucleus. Each energy level can hold a specific maximum number of electrons. The first energy level can hold up to 2 electrons, the second up to 8, the third up to 18, and so on, following a specific pattern based on quantum mechanics.
When we write the electron arrangement of an element, we are indicating the number of electrons in each shell, starting from the innermost shell and moving outward. For example, the electron arrangement for oxygen, which has 8 electrons, is written as 2,6. This means there are 2 electrons in the first energy level and 6 in the second.
Understanding the electron arrangement is essential in chemistry because it helps predict how atoms will bond. Atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration, usually resembling the electron configuration of the nearest noble gas.
It is important to note that the electron arrangement does not show the shape of energy levels, the number of isotopes, or the structure of the nucleus. While it gives a basic idea of how electrons are distributed, more advanced models like orbital diagrams and quantum mechanical models provide deeper insights into shapes and probabilities of electron positions.
In summary, the electron arrangement clearly shows the number of electrons in each energy level of an atom, making option C the correct answer.
