Electron Configura/ons
Student Name:________________________
Direc'ons: Answer the ques'ons to your best ability. Select the best choice that answers or completes
the statement. You have 4 answer choices (a,b,c,d) – if you do not understand the ques'on, then choose
(e).
1. What is the maximum number of orbitals in the p sublevel?
a) 3
c) 2
b) 6
d) 4
2. What shape is the 2p sublevel?
a) Spherical
c) square
b) 4-leaf clover shaped
d) dumbell
3. What shape is the 3d sublevel?
a) Spherical
c) square
b) 4-leaf clover shaped
d) dumbell
4. What is the maximum number of electrons in the 2nd energy level?
a) 2
c) 32
b) 8
d) 18
5. What is the maximum number of electrons in the 3d energy level?
a) 5
c) 10
b) 8
d) 14
6. The formula 2n2 represents
a) The number of sublevels in any energy level
b) The maximum number of electrons that can occupy an energy level
c) The number of orbitals in a sublevel
d) None of the above
7. What is the number of electrons in the 2p orbital of an oxygen atom?
a) 4
c) 6
b) 2
d) 8
8. What is the number of electrons in that occupy the highest energy level of a sulfur atom?
a) 4
c) 6
b) 2
d) 8
9. Classify the element whose electron configura'on is: 1s22s22p63s23p2?
a) Se
c) Ag
b) N
d) Si
10. Which atom in the ground state has three half-filled orbitals?
a) P
b) Si
c) Al
d) Li
11. What is the electron configura'on of Cl ?
a) 1s22s22p63s23p1
c) 1s22s22p4
b) 1s22s22p63s23p3
d) 1s22s22p63s23p5
12. What element has the electron configura'on 1s22s22p63s23p1?
a) F
c) B
b) Al
d) Cl
13. Determine which element has the electron configura'on [Ne] 3s23p2?
a) Se
c) Si
b) S
d) P
14. Predict the element which would have an electron configura'on of [Ne] 3s23p6?
a) Se
c) F
b) Cl
d) Ar
15. Based on your prior knowledge, predict the ion with the electron configura'on 1s22s22p63s23p6:
a) Se-2
c) F-1
b) Cl-1
d) Ne
16. Based on your prior knowledge, predict the ion with the electron configura'on [He] 2s22p6:
a) S-2
c) Br-1
b) F+1
d) Na+1
17. Ca+2 ion is involved in the forma'on of calcified bone in vertebrates, choose the correct electron
configura'on for the ion.
a) 1s22s22p63s13p64s1
c) 1s22s22p63s23p64s2
b) 1s22s22p63s23p6
d) 1s22s22p63s23p4
18. An atom in the ground state has 7 valence electrons. Look at the configura'ons and decide
which represents the outermost principal energy level of an atom in the ground state?
a) 3s13p6
b) 3s13p43d2
b) 3s23p5
d) 3s23p43d1
Constructed Response ques'ons
Direc'ons: Answer the ques'on completely to the best of your abili'es.
19. Create a statement that supports selenium and sulfur having the same chemical proper'es –
your response should be in terms of electron configura'ons.
20. In terms of electron configura'ons, formulate a valid reason for the noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr,
Xe) being “stable, unreac've, and noble”. Link the associa'on between noble gases and ions.
Answer Key:
1. D
2. D
3. B
4. B
5. C
6. B
7. A
8. C
9. D
10. A
11. D
12. B
13. C
14. D
15. B
16. D
17. B
18. B
19. Answer may vary – Although in different periods/groups – Se and S both end with 3p4 and 4p4
which means they have 4 electrons in there outermost shell and this correlates with behavior of
the element. Selenium will be slightly different because of the e- in the 3d orbital
20. Answer may vary – Noble gases are unreac've, stable elements because of their e- orbitals are
completely filled with electrons which all achieve the octet. All of the noble gases (except He
1s2) end with a completely filled p orbital (2p6, 3p6, 4p6). Also provides reason for ions being so
stable – ions lose or gain electrons to have completely filled orbitals.