Question #23973
1 Answer
Explanation:
The first thing to do when trying to write an atom's electron configuration is to figure you exactly how many electrons must be accounted for.
To do that, grab a periodic table and look for that atom's atomic number.
In your case, beryllium,
Therefore, your electron configuration must account for
#"Be: " 1s^2 2s^2#
Now, in order to use the noble gas shorthand notation, you must first identify which noble gas comes immediately before beryllium in the periodic table.
In this case, the only option available is helium,
#"He: " color(blue)(1s^2)#
Notice that the configuration that accounts for the first two electrons is identical for both atoms. This means that you can replace it in beryllium's configuration to get
#"Be: " color(blue)(1s^2) 2s^2#
The electron configuration of helium is written like this,
#"Be: " ["He"] 2s^2#