What does an electronic configuration show?
How an atom’s or ion’s electrons are distributed among shells around the nucleus, written as a sequence of shell counts.
AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy (8464) — Chemistry — Foundation · 5.1.1.7
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What does an electronic configuration show?
How an atom’s or ion’s electrons are distributed among shells around the nucleus, written as a sequence of shell counts.
How does the number of electrons in a neutral atom compare with its number of protons?
They are equal.
How do positive and negative ions form from atoms?
A positive ion forms by losing electrons; a negative ion forms by gaining electrons.
What happens to an atom’s proton number when it forms an ion?
It remains unchanged.
For elements with proton numbers 1–20, how are electrons placed in shells?
The first shell fills to 2, the second to 8 and the third to 8 before the fourth begins to fill.
What must the total of the shell counts in an electronic configuration equal?
The total number of electrons in the atom or ion.