In a neutral carbon atom, the atomic number is 6, meaning it has 6 electrons. The electron configuration for carbon is:
- The inner shell (first shell) can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, and it is complete with 2 electrons.
- The outer shell (second shell) can hold a maximum of 8 electrons, but in carbon, it has 4 electrons (as carbon has 4 valence electrons).
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.