Question

The atomic number of silicon is 14. Its ground state electronic configuration is

(a) 1s^22s^22p^63s^23p^4

(b) 1s^22s^22p^63s^23p^3

(c) 1s^22s^22p^63s^23p^2

(d) 1s^22s^22p^63s^23p^1

The question was posed to me at a job interview.

This intriguing question comes from Alpha-Particle Scattering and Rutherford’s Nuclear Model of Atom in section Atoms of Physics – Class 12

Answer 1

The correct choice is (c) 1s^22s^22p^63s^23p^2

To explain I would say: The atomic number of silicon is 14.

Therefore, ^14Si will have the following electronic configuration:

1s^22s^22p^63s^23p^2