Draw the electron configuration for a neutral atom of argon
The correct answer and explanation is:
The electron configuration for a neutral atom of argon (Ar) is: 1s22s22p63s23p61s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6
or in noble gas notation: [Ne]3s23p6[Ne] 3s^2 3p^6
Explanation (300 Words):
Argon (Ar) is a noble gas with an atomic number of 18, meaning it has 18 electrons in its neutral state. These electrons are arranged in energy levels (shells) around the nucleus following the Aufbau principle, which states that electrons fill orbitals in increasing order of energy.
- First Energy Level (n=1):
- The 1s orbital is the lowest energy level and can hold up to 2 electrons.
- Configuration: 1s²
- Second Energy Level (n=2):
- The 2s orbital holds 2 electrons: 2s²
- The 2p orbital holds up to 6 electrons: 2p⁶
- This completes the second shell.
- Third Energy Level (n=3):
- The 3s orbital holds 2 electrons: 3s²
- The 3p orbital holds 6 electrons: 3p⁶
- At this point, the argon atom has used all 18 electrons.
Since the 3p orbital is completely filled, argon is chemically inert, meaning it does not easily react with other elements. This is why it is classified as a noble gas.
The full electron configuration notation (1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶) explicitly shows how electrons occupy each sublevel. The noble gas notation ([Ne] 3s² 3p⁶) is a shorthand, using the previous noble gas (neon) to represent the filled lower energy levels.
This electron configuration gives argon a stable octet, making it one of the most stable elements in the periodic table.
Now, let’s generate an image of the electron configuration.
Here is the electron configuration diagram for a neutral argon (Ar) atom. The image illustrates the three electron shells with the correct distribution of electrons. Let me know if you need any modifications or further explanations!
