Video Transcript
An atom contains five
electrons. How many of these electrons occupy
the L energy level?
Energy levels are distances from
the nucleus that describe the location of electrons. The first energy level is called K,
the second energy level is L, and the third and fourth are M and N,
respectively. Energy level K can hold a maximum
of two electrons, L holds a maximum of eight, and M and N hold a maximum of 18 and
32, respectively. Electrons fill from the lowest
energy level first, which is K.
The question tells us that the atom
contains five electrons. Two of these electrons fill energy
level K. The remaining three electrons fill
the second lowest energy level L. Thus, the answer to the question
“How many of these electrons occupy the L energy level?” is three electrons.