Which of the following represents the correct electron configuration for a neutral atom of oxygen?

• A. 1s^2 2s^2 2p^2
• B. 1s^2 2s^2 2p^4
• C. 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6
• D. 1s^2 2s^2 3s^2

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the atomic number of oxygen, which tells you the number of electrons in a neutral atom. Oxygen has an atomic number of 8, so it has 8 electrons.
2. Step 2: Recall the order in which electron orbitals are filled according to the Aufbau principle: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, and so on.
3. Step 3: Fill the orbitals with electrons following the Pauli exclusion principle and Hund's rule. Start by placing 2 electrons in the 1s orbital, then 2 electrons in the 2s orbital.
4. Step 4: Distribute the remaining 4 electrons into the 2p orbitals. Since 2p can hold up to 6 electrons, placing 4 electrons here is consistent with oxygen's total of 8 electrons.
5. Step 5: Write the full electron configuration by combining the filled orbitals: \$1s^2 2s^2 2p^4$, which correctly represents the electron arrangement for a neutral oxygen atom.