ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE Drawing a box diagram of the electron configuration of an atom Draw the electron configuration for a neutral atom of carbon. energy
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer:
The box diagram (orbital diagram) for the electron configuration of a neutral carbon atom is:
CopyEdit1s 2s 2p
↓↑ ↓↑ ↓ ↓
Electron Configuration in Box Diagram Format:
- 1s orbital: two electrons (paired, ↑↓)
- 2s orbital: two electrons (paired, ↑↓)
- 2p orbitals: two electrons, each occupying a separate box (↑ ↑)
Explanation
Carbon, with an atomic number of 6, possesses six electrons in its neutral state. The arrangement of these electrons around the nucleus follows the Aufbau principle, the Pauli exclusion principle, and Hund’s rule. Each principle guides how electrons fill atomic orbitals in terms of energy levels and stability.
The Aufbau principle states that electrons occupy the lowest energy orbitals first. Therefore, the 1s orbital is filled before the 2s, and then the 2p orbitals. The first two electrons fill the 1s orbital, forming a stable pair. The next two electrons fill the 2s orbital in a similar manner.
For the remaining two electrons, placement occurs in the 2p sublevel. The 2p sublevel contains three degenerate orbitals (orbitals of equal energy). According to Hund’s rule, electrons will occupy empty orbitals in a sublevel singly before pairing up. This minimizes electron-electron repulsion and increases stability. As a result, each of the two remaining electrons enters a separate 2p orbital, both with parallel spins.
This distribution creates the following box diagram:
- 1s: ↑↓
- 2s: ↑↓
- 2p: ↑ ↑ _
Each box represents an orbital, and each arrow indicates an electron’s spin. Opposite spins within a box reflect the Pauli exclusion principle, which states that no two electrons in the same orbital can have the same spin.
This electronic structure illustrates that carbon has two unpaired electrons in its 2p orbitals, an important feature influencing its chemical bonding behavior, such as forming four covalent bonds in organic compounds through hybridization. The configuration sets the foundation for carbon’s versatility in forming a wide range of molecular structures.
