What electron configuration corresponds to the ground state of the oxygen atom?

The ground state electron configuration of an oxygen atom is represented by 1s² 2s² 2p⁴. This configuration reflects the arrangement of electrons in the various atomic orbitals of an oxygen atom, which has a total of 8 electrons.

In this configuration, the 1s orbital is filled with 2 electrons, the 2s orbital is also filled with 2 electrons, and the 2p orbital contains 4 electrons. The 2p subshell can hold a maximum of 6 electrons, and in oxygen, 4 of those spaces are filled, balancing the energy levels appropriately to maintain stability.

The electron count and arrangement in the configuration correspond directly to the periodic table where oxygen is found in group 16 (or VIA) and period 2. Those electrons also contribute to the chemical properties of oxygen, including its tendency to form covalent bonds with other elements.

The other configurations listed do not accurately represent the ground state of an oxygen atom. In particular, an option with 2p² would signify an incomplete filling that corresponds to a different element, while 2p⁶ suggests the configuration of a noble gas—specifically neon, which has a full 2p subshell and