Full configuration
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p²
In the short form, [Ne] stands for the 10 electrons of neon, the noble gas before silicon. Only the electrons after it are written out.
Orbital diagram
2p↑↓↑↓↑↓
3s↑↓
3p↑↑
Outer subshells only. Each box is an orbital; electrons fill singly first (Hund's rule), then pair up with opposite spins.
What the configuration tells you
Silicon is in group 14, period 3, in the p-block. It has 2 unpaired electrons in the ground state, so the atom is paramagnetic.
Nearby elements
| Z | Element | Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Sodium | [Ne] 3s¹ |
| 12 | Magnesium | [Ne] 3s² |
| 13 | Aluminium | [Ne] 3s² 3p¹ |
| 15 | Phosphorus | [Ne] 3s² 3p³ |
| 16 | Sulphur | [Ne] 3s² 3p⁴ |
| 17 | Chlorine | [Ne] 3s² 3p⁵ |
Questions students ask
What is the electronic configuration of silicon?
[Ne] 3s² 3p², or in full, 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p². Silicon has atomic number 14.
How many electrons are in each shell of silicon?
2, 8, 4 (K, L, M, N… shells in order).
How many unpaired electrons does silicon have?
2 in the ground state, so silicon atoms are paramagnetic.