Question

The K shell of an atom has a maximum of ___ electrons (8/2).

Answer 1

The arrangement of electrons in energy shells or levels surrounding a nucleus is known as electronic configuration.

• Bohr calculated the number of electrons in each shell, a shell consisting of all electrons with the same primary quantum number.
• The pattern he utilized was 2, 8,18, 32, etc.
• This is given by rule $2{\mathrm{n}}^2$, where n is a shell number.

Name of the first shell:

The first shell is given by the name K (n=1). Thus the maximum number of electrons attaining the first shell is 2

• Each successive shell has a maximum number of electrons it can hold.
• The innermost shell is the first to be filled.
• A maximum of two electrons can be found in this shell.
• A maximum of eight electrons can be held in the second shell.

Thus the K shell of an atom has a maximum of 2 electrons.