Which element corresponds to the configuration [Ne] 3s^2 3p^2?

The electron configuration [Ne] 3s² 3p² corresponds to the element silicon. This configuration indicates that the element has a total of 14 electrons, as seen from the calculation: the neon core accounts for 10 electrons, and the additional 4 electrons come from the 3s² (2 electrons) and 3p² (2 electrons) subshells.

Silicon is located in Group 14 of the periodic table and is known for having 4 valence electrons (2 in the 3s subshell and 2 in the 3p subshell). This is crucial for understanding the chemical behavior of silicon, particularly its ability to form covalent bonds.

In contrast, aluminum has a configuration of [Ne] 3s² 3p¹, meaning it has only 13 electrons and is located in Group 13. Phosphorus, with the configuration [Ne] 3s² 3p³, has 15 electrons and is in Group 15. Sodium, on the other hand, has a much simpler configuration of [Ne] 3s¹, totaling 11 electrons and situated in Group 1. All these differing configurations illustrate the unique properties and group classifications of