which of the following shows the most likely orbital configuration for the element fluorine (f)?
which of the following shows the most likely orbital configuration for the element fluorine (f)?
Answer
Explanation:
Step1: Recall fluorine's atomic number
Fluorine has an atomic number of 9, so it has 9 electrons.
Step2: Fill orbitals according to rules
Electrons fill orbitals in the order 1s, 2s, 2p. The 1s orbital can hold 2 electrons, the 2s orbital can hold 2 electrons, and the 2p orbital can hold 6 electrons. First, 2 electrons go in 1s, then 2 in 2s, and the remaining 5 in 2p. According to Hund's rule, electrons in degenerate orbitals (2p in this case) first occupy orbitals singly with parallel spins before pairing up.
Answer:
The third option (with 2 electrons in 1s, 2 in 2s, and 5 in 2p with the correct spin - pairing and single - occupancy according to Hund's rule) shows the correct orbital configuration for fluorine.