A neutral atom has an electron configuration of 1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p². How many protons does it have in its nucleus? A) 5 B) 11 C) 14 D) 20 E) 26

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The electron configuration tells us that there are 14 electrons in the neutral atom, which means there are 14 protons in the nucleus as well (since the number of protons equals the number of electrons in a neutral atom). The periodic table also tells us that the element with this electron configuration is silicon (Si), which has an atomic number of 14.

A Neutral Atom Has an Electron Configuration of 1s22s22p63s23p2

A Neutral Atom Has an Electron Configuration of 1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p²