Final answer:
The electron configurations b (chloride ion, Cl⁻) and c (potassium ion, K⁺) correspond to ions due to their full noble gas electron configurations, which are achieved by gaining or losing electrons, resulting in a negative or positive charge respectively. Configurations a (silicon, Si) and d (aluminum, Al) could also represent ions if electrons are gained or lost to form Si⁴⁺ and Al³⁺, respectively. So, the correct option is A.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question concerns the identification of ions based on their given electron configurations. An ion is an atom or molecule that has gained or lost one or more electrons, giving it a positive or negative charge. Based on the electron configurations provided:
- b. 1s²2s²2p¶3s²3p⁵ indicates a chloride ion (Cl⁻) which has gained an electron to achieve the electron configuration of argon, yielding a -1 charge.
- c. 1s²2s²2p¶3s²3p⁶ could be a potassium ion (K⁺) which has lost one electron from its 4s¹ subshell, resulting in a noble gas configuration and a +1 charge.
For the other configurations:
- a. 1s²2s²2p¶3s²3p² depicts the electron configuration of silicon (Si), which could form a Si⁴⁺ ion if it gains two electrons.
- d. 1s²2s²2p¶3s²3p¹ is an electron configuration that could represent an aluminum ion (Al³⁺) if it loses three electrons from its p-shells.