Outermost orbit has electrons

Options

A. 12
B. 11
C. 18
D. 8

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding Electron Configuration:**
- The distribution of electrons in an atom is referred to as its electronic configuration. This configuration is crucial for understanding how many electrons can occupy the outermost shell.

2. **Bohr's Model and Electron Capacity:**
- According to Bohr's model, the maximum number of electrons that can occupy any shell (or orbit) is given by the formula \(2n^2\), where \(n\) is the principal quantum number (the shell number).
- For example:
- For \(n=1\) (K shell), maximum electrons = \(2(1^2) = 2\)
- For \(n=2\) (L shell), maximum electrons = \(2(2^2) = 8\)
- For \(n=3\) (M shell), maximum electrons = \(2(3^2) = 18\)
- For \(n=4\) (N shell), maximum electrons = \(2(4^2) = 32\)

3. **Filling the Outermost Shell:**
- The outermost shell of an atom can hold a maximum of 8 electrons, following the octet rule. This rule states that atoms tend to be more stable when they have eight electrons in their outermost shell.

4. **Example of Electron Filling:**
- Consider an atom with a total of 20 electrons.
- The electron configuration would be:
- 2 electrons in the K shell (n=1)
- 8 electrons in the L shell (n=2)
- 8 electrons in the M shell (n=3)
- The remaining 2 electrons will go into the outermost shell (which is the M shell in this case).
- Thus, the outermost shell will have 8 electrons filled before any additional electrons can be placed in the next shell.

5. **Conclusion:**
- Therefore, the outermost orbit of any atom can contain a maximum of 8 electrons, and this is essential for the stability and reactivity of the atom.