What is the correct electron configuration for magnesium?
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A
1s² 2s²
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B
. 1s² 2s² 2p⁶
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C
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s²
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D
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p¹
The correct electron configuration for magnesium is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s².
Magnesium has an atomic number of 12, which means a neutral magnesium atom contains 12 electrons. Electrons occupy orbitals in order of increasing energy according to the Aufbau principle. Lower-energy orbitals fill first, and higher-energy orbitals fill only after the lower ones are complete. The filling order is 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, then 3p.
A. 1s² 2s²
It accounts for only 4 electrons. This configuration corresponds to beryllium, not magnesium.
B. 1s² 2s² 2p⁶
It accounts for 10 electrons, which is the electron configuration of neon, a noble gas.
C. 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s²
Adding the electrons gives a total of 12 (2 + 2 + 6 + 2). After filling the 2p subshell, the remaining two electrons occupy the 3s orbital. This configuration is often written in shorthand form as [Ne] 3s² and reflects magnesium’s position in Group 2 of the periodic table.
D. 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p¹
It includes 13 electrons and represents aluminum, not magnesium.
Conclusion
Magnesium’s 12 electrons fill orbitals up to the 3s subshell, giving the complete ground-state electron configuration 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s².

Topic Flashcards
Click to FlipWhat is the total number of electrons you must distribute when writing the ground-state electron configuration for a neutral atom of magnesium (atomic number 12)?
12 electrons.
Following the Aufbau principle, what is the correct order for filling the orbitals that are occupied in a magnesium atom?
1s, then 2s, then 2p, then 3s.
Using noble gas shorthand notation, how would you write the electron configuration for magnesium?
[Ne] 3s². (Neon's configuration is 1s²2s²2p⁶).
Based on its electron configuration, why is magnesium found in Group 2 of the periodic table?
Its highest-energy electrons are the two in the 3s orbital. The number of electrons in the outermost "s" orbital determines its group for Groups 1 and 2.
What element would immediately follow magnesium (Mg) if you added one more electron to its configuration, and what would the new configuration be?
Aluminum (Al). Its configuration would be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p¹ or [Ne] 3s² 3p¹.