Question

The elements Si, Ga, As, Ge, Al, Cd, S, and Se are all used in the manufacture of various semiconductor devices. Write the expected electron configuration for these atoms.

Short answer

The electron configurations for the given elements are as follows: 1. Silicon (Si) - \(1s^1 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^2\) 2. Gallium (Ga) - \(1s^1 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^{10} 4p^1\) 3. Arsenic (As) - \(1s^1 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^{10} 4p^3\) 4. Germanium (Ge) - \(1s^1 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^{10} 4p^2\) 5. Aluminum (Al) - \(1s^1 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^1\) 6. Cadmium (Cd) - \(1s^1 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^{10} 4p^6 5s^2 4d^{10}\) 7. Sulfur (S) - \(1s^1 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4\) 8. Selenium (Se) - \(1s^1 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^{10} 4p^4\)

Step-by-step solution

Identify Element's Position in the Periodic Table

Look for the position of the given elements in the periodic table. Knowing their positions will help us to determine the electron configurations.

Determine Electrons and Atom's Levels

Calculate the total number of electrons in each atom and determine the filling order of their electron orbitals according to the periodic table. The filling order of electron orbitals is as follows: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, and so on.

Write Electron Configurations

Using the filling order of electron orbitals, write down the electron configurations for each element. 1. Silicon (Si) (Atomic Number: 14) - 1s¹ 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p² 2. Gallium (Ga) (Atomic Number: 31) - 1s¹ 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p¹ 3. Arsenic (As) (Atomic Number: 33) - 1s¹ 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p³ 4. Germanium (Ge) (Atomic Number: 32) - 1s¹ 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p² 5. Aluminum (Al) (Atomic Number: 13) - 1s¹ 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p¹ 6. Cadmium (Cd) (Atomic Number: 48) - 1s¹ 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 7. Sulfur (S) (Atomic Number: 16) - 1s¹ 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁴ 8. Selenium (Se) (Atomic Number: 34) - 1s¹ 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁴ The electron configurations for Si, Ga, As, Ge, Al, Cd, S, and Se are now complete.