Question
What happens to the next electron if the shell is already filled up?
it will join the electrons in the last shell anyway
it will go to the next shell
it will be removed
it will join the electrons in the last shell anyway
it will go to the next shell
it will be removed
Answers
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
It will go to the next available (higher‑energy) orbital/shell.
Explanation: each shell/subshell has a limited capacity (roughly 2n^2 electrons for shell n, with actual filling governed by subshells and the Pauli exclusion principle). Once the available orbitals in that energy level are filled, an additional electron must occupy the next unfilled orbital at higher energy. (If the atom is excited or ionized, different behavior — e.g., an electron can be removed or promoted to a higher orbital.)
Explanation: each shell/subshell has a limited capacity (roughly 2n^2 electrons for shell n, with actual filling governed by subshells and the Pauli exclusion principle). Once the available orbitals in that energy level are filled, an additional electron must occupy the next unfilled orbital at higher energy. (If the atom is excited or ionized, different behavior — e.g., an electron can be removed or promoted to a higher orbital.)