An atom contains a total of 29 electrons. When the atom is in the ground state how many principle energy levels will contain electrons?
a: 1
b: 2
c: 3
d: 4
How do you figure this out?
Remember how the orbitals fill.
1s
2s 2p
3s 3p 4s
3d 4p etc.
You can have 2 s electrons, 6p electrons, and 10 d electrons.
So let's add them up.
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s1
which gives you 29 electrons; therefore, 4 is the highest principal quantum number.
thanks
Well, let's dive into the world of atomic humor to figure this one out!
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Atom.
Atom who?
Atom-is-here-to-help-answer-your-question!
To find out how many principle energy levels contain electrons in an atom, we need to look at the atomic number (which usually corresponds to the number of protons). In this case, we have 29 electrons. So, let's start counting!
1... 2... 3... Ah, there you are! At 3, we have filled all the energy levels. So, the answer is option c: 3.
Hope that atomic joke made it all a bit more electrifying for you!
To figure out how many principle energy levels will contain electrons in an atom, you need to determine the electron configuration of the atom. The electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in different energy levels.
In this case, the atom has a total of 29 electrons. To find the electron configuration, you can start by filling up the energy levels in increasing order of their principal quantum numbers (n).
The principle energy levels are denoted by the numbers 1, 2, 3, and so on. Each energy level can hold a maximum number of electrons based on the formula 2n^2, where n is the principal quantum number.
For the given atom with 29 electrons, you can start by filling up the lowest energy level (n = 1). However, the maximum number of electrons that can be accommodated in the first energy level is 2 (2 * 1^2 = 2). So, you fill the 1s orbital with 2 electrons.
After filling the first energy level, you move to the next higher energy level (n = 2). The maximum number of electrons that can be accommodated in the second energy level is 8 (2 * 2^2 = 8). So, you fill the 2s and 2p orbitals with 8 electrons.
Now, you have filled up 10 electrons (2 in the 1s orbital and 8 in the 2s and 2p orbitals). This means that you have used up the electrons that would belong to the first two energy levels.
Since the atom has 29 electrons, you still have 29 - 10 = 19 electrons remaining.
To distribute the remaining 19 electrons, you move to the next higher energy level (n = 3). The maximum number of electrons that can be accommodated in the third energy level is 18 (2 * 3^2 = 18). Therefore, you fill the 3s and 3p orbitals with 18 electrons, leaving 1 electron unused.
So, the electron configuration of the atom with 29 electrons is: 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 3d^10 4s^2.
Based on this electron configuration, you can see that a total of 3 principle energy levels (n = 1, n = 2, and n = 3) contain electrons. Therefore, the correct answer is c: 3.
To determine the number of principle energy levels that will contain electrons in an atom, you need to know the atomic number of the element. The atomic number represents the number of protons in an atom, which is also equal to the number of electrons in a neutral atom.
In this case, you mentioned that the atom contains a total of 29 electrons. Therefore, the element in question has an atomic number of 29. To find the number of principle energy levels, you need to refer to the electron configuration of the element, which is based on the arrangement of electrons in different energy levels.
The electron configuration of the element with atomic number 29 (copper) is 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^1 3d^10.
The electrons are arranged in principle energy levels from lowest to highest energy. Counting the number of unique energy levels, we find that there are 4 principle energy levels (1s, 2s, 3s, and 3d) that contain electrons in the ground state.
Therefore, the correct answer is:
d: 4