Final answer:
The correct electron configuration for Silicon (Si) with an atomic number of 14 is 1s22s22p63s23p2, which corresponds to option D. The configuration adheres to the Aufbau principle of filling lower-energy orbitals first.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct electron configuration for Si (Silicon) with an atomic number of 14 is as follows:
This means the answer to the question would be D) 1s22s22p63s23p2. The electrons fill the available orbitals starting from the lowest energy level moving to the higher ones. This adheres to the Aufbau principle, which states that electrons fill lower-energy orbitals first, before moving to higher-energy orbitals. Each 's' orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, 'p' orbitals can hold 6, and we're filling them in order up to the 3p orbital where silicon's last 2 electrons will go.