(a) Write out the ground-state electron configuration$\left(1s,2s^2,....\right)$for the carbon atom. (b) What element of next-larger z has chemical properties similar to those of carbon? Give the ground-state electron configuration for this element.

The arrangement of electrons of an atom or molecule is known as the electronic configuration of an atom.

The values of principal quantum number n=1,2,3,.... . The letter used to represent the orbital quantum number I are s,p,d,f,g,.... respectively and orbital quantum number have n values i.e., 0 to n-1.

The s shell holds 2 electrons, p shell holds 6 electrons and d shell holds the 10 electrons.

(a)

The carbon atom has 6 electrons, the ground-state electronic configuration of carbon atom is:

$1{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{p}}^2$

(b)

The element of next-larger Z has similar chemical properties as the carbon atom is silicon. The silicon atom has 14 electrons, the ground-state electronic configuration of silicon atom is:

$1{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{p}}^{6}3{\mathrm{s}}^{2}3{\mathrm{p}}^2$

Hence, silicon has similar chemical properties as carbon and the ground-state electronic configuration of silicon is $1{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{p}}^{6}3{\mathrm{s}}^{2}3{\mathrm{p}}^2$.