How is it possible to deduce the identity of an element from its electron configuration?
A)The number of occupied shells corresponds to the atom's atomic number.
B)If the atom is electrically neutral,the number of electrons corresponds to the atom's atomic number.
C)Using the periodic table,the outermost occupied shell indicates the group while the number of occupied shells indicates the period.
D)An electron configuration is unique to each element,much like its atomic spectrum.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The number of electrons in an atom's electron configuration corresponds to the atom's atomic number. If the atom is electrically neutral, the number of electrons will also be equal to the number of protons in the nucleus.

Answer: C
 Using the periodic table, one can determine the number of valence electrons in an atom based on its group, which is indicated by the outermost occupied shell. The number of occupied shells indicates the period or energy level of the atom.

Therefore, choices B and C are both valid explanations.

How Is It Possible to Deduce the Identity of an Element