Final answer:
Silicon has 14 electrons, and its electron configuration shows that there are two unpaired electrons in the 3p subshell, as it has a 3s² 3p² configuration in the valence shell.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question is the electronic configuration of the element silicon (Si), specifically focusing on the number of unpaired electrons. The atomic number of silicon is 14, implying that it has 14 electrons. The electron configuration of silicon can be written as 1s²2s²2p¶3s²3p². When looking at the valence shell, which for silicon is the third shell, including 3s and 3p subshells, we see that the 3s subshell is fully occupied with two electrons, and the 3p subshell has two electrons. In the 3p subshell, there are three p orbitals, and silicon has one electron in two of these orbitals, leaving one orbital empty. Therefore, silicon has two unpaired electrons, as each of the two 3p electrons occupies a separate orbital.