The correct answer is c) two, eight, eighteen.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how many electrons each energy level (or shell) can hold:
- First energy level (n=1) can hold a maximum of 2 electrons.
- Second energy level (n=2) can hold a maximum of 8 electrons.
- Third energy level (n=3) can hold a maximum of 18 electrons (though it is often filled to 8 before moving to the next shell in the context of the first 18 elements of the periodic table).
Beyond that: 4. The fourth energy level (n=4) can hold up to 32 electrons.
Therefore, option c) is the most correct regarding the first three levels.