An Atom Has 6 Electrons in Its Outer Shell

Question

An atom has 6 electrons in its outer shell. How many unpaired electrons does it have?
A) 0
B) 2
C) 4
D) 6
E) 2 or 4

Accepted Answer

An atom with 6 outer shell electrons will have 2 unpaired electrons according to Hund's rule, which states that electrons will occupy separate orbitals within a subshell before pairing up. Therefore, choice B is the best option.