Question #25 on Weeks 2, 3, 4 Achieve HW

[Rinisha Prasad]

Hi! Can someone please explain how to get the chemical symbol for the element with the ground-state electron configuration in question #25 of this weeks homework? I think that I have to take the number of electrons from Ne and then add the electrons from 3s^23p^4 to it, but I do not know whether that is right? If it is right, can someone explain why that is? Thank you!

[Nicholas_John_3L]

Yes! What you said is exactly the process you have to take to find the answer. the notation [Ne] represents the electrons that Ne has. The symbols written after show how many electrons are left. It's just a way to shorten the electron configuration.

[906217287]

Yes, so for this question, you are only focused on the s and p block which saves you the trouble from seeing the electron configuration exceptions like chromium. [Ne] denotes that we are taking a shortcut, starting at the electron configuration of [Ne] and adding the remaining electrons from the next levels.