Electron Shell Chemistry Example 1

Follow the full solution, then compare it with the other examples linked below.

easy

How many electrons can each of the first three electron shells hold? Show the maximum capacity for shells

n = 1

n = 2

, and

n = 3

1
The maximum number of electrons in a shell is given by $2n^2$ where $n$ is the shell number.
2
Shell 1: $2(1)^2 = 2$ electrons. Shell 2: $2(2)^2 = 8$ electrons.
3
Shell 3: $2(3)^2 = 18$ electrons.

Answer

n=1: 2,\quad n=2: 8,\quad n=3: 18

Electron shells are energy levels surrounding the nucleus. Inner shells are lower in energy and fill first. The formula

2n^2

determines the capacity of each shell and explains why the periodic table has rows of different lengths.

About Electron Shell

A discrete energy level surrounding the atomic nucleus where electrons reside, with each shell ( $n = 1, 2, 3, ...$ ) holding a maximum of $2n^2$ .

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