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Question

Question
Which option describes the structure of the electron shells in a neutral carbon atom?(1 point)
Responses

The inner shell is incomplete with three electrons. The outer shell is incomplete with three electrons.
The inner shell is incomplete with three electrons. The outer shell is incomplete with three electrons.

The inner shell is complete with three electrons. The outer shell is incomplete with three electrons.
The inner shell is complete with three electrons. The outer shell is incomplete with three electrons.

The inner shell is complete with four electrons. The outer shell is incomplete with two electrons.
The inner shell is complete with four electrons. The outer shell is incomplete with two electrons.

The inner shell is complete with two electrons. The outer shell is incomplete with four electrons.
The inner shell is complete with two electrons. The outer shell is incomplete with four electrons.

Answer 1

A neutral carbon atom has a total of 6 electrons. The electrons are arranged in the following way:

• The inner shell (the first shell) can hold up to 2 electrons, and it is complete with these 2 electrons.
• The outer shell (the second shell) can hold up to 8 electrons, but in the case of carbon, it has 4 electrons in this shell.

Therefore, the correct option that describes the structure of the electron shells in a neutral carbon atom is:

The inner shell is complete with two electrons. The outer shell is incomplete with four electrons.