DRAW IT Diagram the electronic configuration of a carbon atom.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the atomic number of carbon, which is 6, indicating it has 6 electrons.
2. Understand that electrons fill orbitals in a specific order: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, etc., following the Aufbau principle.
3. Start filling the orbitals with electrons: the first two electrons will fill the 1s orbital.
4. Place the next two electrons in the 2s orbital.
5. Distribute the remaining two electrons in the 2p orbital, ensuring each p orbital gets one electron before pairing, according to Hund's rule.

Key Concepts

Atomic Structure

The atomic structure of an element consists of protons, neutrons, and electrons. In a carbon atom, there are six protons and six neutrons in the nucleus, with six electrons orbiting around the nucleus. Understanding this structure is essential for visualizing how electrons are arranged in energy levels.

Electron Configuration

Electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals. For carbon, the electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p², indicating that two electrons occupy the first energy level (1s) and four electrons occupy the second level (2s and 2p). This arrangement is crucial for understanding chemical bonding and reactivity.

Orbital Diagrams

Orbital diagrams visually represent the arrangement of electrons in an atom's orbitals. Each orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons with opposite spins. For carbon, the diagram would show two electrons in the 1s orbital, two in the 2s orbital, and two in the 2p orbitals, illustrating how electrons are paired and distributed among available energy levels.