PLEASE HELP! Write the full electron configuration for phosphorus, atomic symbol P, then draw an orbital box diagram that accounts for all of the electrons in phosphorus. You don’t need to include the orbital box diagram as part of your answer. Based on your drawing, explain why phosphorus is either paramagnetic or diamagnetic.

1) The full electron configuration for phosphorus is 1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p

2) Phosphorus is paramagnetic

Explanation:

1) To write the electron configuration, we follow the electron filling order, that is starting from 1s, to 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 3d, 4s, 4p, 4f, 5s, 5p, 5d, 6s till the electrons are all accounted for (up to 58)

We note that the s orbitals can each take two electrons while the p orbital can take 6 electrons and the d orbital can take 10 electrons

The electron configuration chart for phosphorus, P, is given as follows;

1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p.

2) Diamagnetism is the temporary magnetism is the magnetism of a material that exists in the presence of a magnetic field due to a a change in the atomic electron orbital motion

Paramagnetism is a magnetism in which a material is weakly attracted by an applied external magnetic field such that there is induced magnetism in the applied magnetic field direction

Paramagnetic materials have have unpaired electrons that give them permanent magnetic moments in the absence of an applied magnetic field as such unpaired electrons are termed paramagnetic electrons and atoms that have one or more unpaired electrons are paramagnetic

Phosphorus, with the 3 partially filled p orbitals have 3 unpaired electrons in their outermost shell giving them the overall properties of a paramagnetic materials.