What is the electron configuration of sodium?Group of answer choices1s22s22p51s22s11s22s22p63s23p11s22s22p63s11s22s22p53s2

Step 1: Break Down the Problem

We need to identify the correct electron configuration for sodium (Na), which has an atomic number of 11. This means sodium has 11 electrons.

Step 2: Relevant Concepts

Electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons among the various atomic orbitals. The order of filling the orbitals follows the Aufbau principle, Hund's rule, and the Pauli exclusion principle. The order of filling is typically represented as follows:

1. 1s
2. 2s
3. 2p
4. 3s
5. 3p

Step 3: Analysis and Detail

1. The first two electrons fill the 1s orbital:
   • 1s²
2. The next two electrons fill the 2s orbital:
   • 2s²
3. The next six electrons fill the 2p orbital:
   • 2p⁶
4. Now we have 10 electrons accounted for, so the 11th electron goes into the next available orbital, which is the 3s orbital:
   • 3s¹

So, the electron configuration for sodium can be summarized as:
$\text{Na: } 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^1$

Step 4: Verify and Summarize

The total number of electrons (11) is correctly represented by the configuration $1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^1$.

Final Answer

The correct electron configuration of sodium is:
$\text{1s}^2 \text{2s}^2 \text{2p}^6 \text{3s}^1$