Questions: How many electrons are in the n=1 shell of the silicon atom?

Solution Steps

The element in question is Silicon (Si). Silicon has an atomic number of 14, which means it has 14 electrons.

Electrons are arranged in shells around the nucleus. The first shell (n=1) can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, the second shell (n=2) can hold up to 8 electrons, and the third shell (n=3) can hold up to 18 electrons.

For silicon, the electron configuration starts by filling the innermost shells first:

• The n=1 shell can hold up to 2 electrons.
• The n=2 shell can hold up to 8 electrons.
• The remaining 4 electrons will go into the n=3 shell.

Since the n=1 shell is the innermost shell, it will always be filled first with its maximum capacity of 2 electrons.

Final Answer