Which of the following can be a stable ground state electronic configuration (only valence shell) of carbon atom?

Options

A.
B.
C.
D.

Answer

To determine the stable ground state electronic configuration of a carbon atom, we need to understand the distribution of electrons in its valence shell.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Atomic Number of Carbon**:
- The atomic number of carbon is 6. This means a neutral carbon atom has 6 electrons.

2. **Determine Electron Configuration**:
- The electron configuration for carbon can be written as follows:
- The first two electrons fill the 1s orbital: 1s²
- The next four electrons will fill the 2s and 2p orbitals: 2s² 2p²
- Therefore, the complete electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p².

3. **Focus on the Valence Shell**:
- The valence shell for carbon is the second shell (n=2), which includes the 2s and 2p orbitals.
- The valence shell configuration can be expressed as: 2s² 2p².

4. **Check for Stability**:
- A stable ground state electronic configuration typically has filled or half-filled orbitals.
- In carbon's case, the 2s orbital is fully filled (2 electrons), and the 2p orbital has 2 electrons, which is not fully filled but is stable for carbon.

5. **Conclusion**:
- The stable ground state electronic configuration of the carbon atom in its valence shell is 2s² 2p².

### Final Answer:
The stable ground state electronic configuration of a carbon atom (only valence shell) is **2s² 2p²**.