Alright, let's determine the electron configuration for carbon.
1. Identify the Atomic Number of Carbon:
The atomic number of carbon is 6, which means it has 6 electrons.
2. Distribute the Electrons Among the Shells:
Electrons fill energy levels (shells) in a specific order: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, etc.
3. First Shell (1s):
The first shell can hold up to 2 electrons.
Thus, we place 2 electrons in the 1s orbital.
Configuration so far: 1s² (2 electrons used, 4 remaining)
4. Second Shell (2s and 2p):
The second shell can hold up to 8 electrons, but we only have 4 electrons left to place.
First, we fill the 2s orbital with 2 electrons.
Configuration so far: 1s² 2s² (4 electrons used, 2 remaining)
Next, we place the remaining 2 electrons in the 2p orbital.
Configuration so far: 1s² 2s² 2p² (all 6 electrons used)
5. Determine the Distribution of Electrons in Shells:
- 1st shell: 2 electrons
- 2nd shell: 4 electrons (2 in 2s and 2 in 2p)
Thus, the electron configuration of carbon is 2 electrons in the first shell and 4 electrons in the second shell. The correct answer is:
A. 2,4
