Final answer:
A neutral chlorine atom has an electron configuration of 1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁵.
Step-by-step explanation:
A neutral chlorine atom has 17 electrons. Two electrons can go into the 1s subshell, 2 can go into the 2s subshell, and 6 can go into the 2p subshell. That leaves 7 electrons. Of those 7 electrons, 2 can go into the 3s subshell, and the remaining 5 electrons can go into the 3p subshell. Thus, the electron configuration of neutral chlorine atoms is 1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁵.