What does the electron configuration of carbon look like?
Answer: The electron configuration of carbon (C) is 1s2 2s2 2p2.
Explanation: The electron configuration represents the arrangement of electrons in the energy levels (shells) and subshells of an atom.
Carbon, with an atomic number of 6, has six electrons. According to the Aufbau principle, electrons fill the lowest energy levels first.
In carbon’s case, the first two electrons occupy the 1s subshell, the next two electrons fill the 2s subshell, and the remaining two electrons are distributed in the 2p subshell.
Significance: Understanding the electron configuration of carbon helps describe its chemical behavior and its properties as an element.
The arrangement of electrons in different subshells contributes to its position in the periodic table and its reactivity.