Four possible electron configurations for a nitrogen atom are shown below, but only one schematic represents the correct configuration for a nitrogen atom in its ground state. Which configurations violate the Pauli exclusion principle?

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Identify the electron configurations provided for the nitrogen atom. Nitrogen has 7 electrons in total.

Recall the Pauli Exclusion Principle, which states that no two electrons in an atom can have the same set of four quantum numbers. This means each orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons with opposite spins.

Examine each electron configuration to check if any orbital is shown to contain more than two electrons or if electrons in the same orbital have the same spin direction.

Identify configurations where orbitals violate the Pauli Exclusion Principle by either having more than two electrons or electrons with the same spin in one orbital.

Eliminate the configurations that do not adhere to the Pauli Exclusion Principle to find the correct ground state configuration for a nitrogen atom.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Electron Configuration

Electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals. For nitrogen, which has seven electrons, the correct ground state configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p³. Understanding how electrons fill orbitals according to energy levels and sublevels is crucial for identifying valid configurations.

Pauli Exclusion Principle

The Pauli exclusion principle states that no two electrons in an atom can have the same set of four quantum numbers. This means that an orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons, which must have opposite spins. Recognizing violations of this principle helps in determining incorrect electron configurations.

Hund's Rule

Hund's rule states that electrons will occupy degenerate orbitals singly before pairing up. This minimizes electron-electron repulsion and leads to a more stable arrangement. Understanding this rule is essential for correctly filling the p orbitals in nitrogen's electron configuration.

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