What is the electron configuration for a neutral atom of magnesium (Mg)?

The electron configuration for a neutral atom of magnesium (Mg) is accurately represented as 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s². Magnesium has an atomic number of 12, which means it has 12 electrons.

The electron configuration can be broken down by placing electrons in the different sublevels according to the Aufbau principle, which states that electrons fill lower energy orbitals first before moving to higher ones.

Initially, the 1s sublevel can hold 2 electrons, which accounts for the 1s². Next, the 2s sublevel also holds 2 electrons for the 2s² configuration. Following this, the 2p sublevel can accommodate 6 electrons, filling it completely with 2 electrons in 2s and 6 in 2p (1s² 2s² 2p⁶).

After completing the first and second energy levels, we move to the third energy level, which is where magnesium's remaining electrons go. The 3s sublevel can hold 2 electrons, so we write 3s².

Thus, the total electron configuration for magnesium encompasses all of these electrons organized in the correct sublevels: 1s