Question

1. how many primary shells does a neutral fluorine atom have? how many subshells?

Explanation:

Step1: Determine the electron configuration of fluorine

Fluorine has an atomic number of 9. The electron configuration of a neutral fluorine atom is \(1s^{2}2s^{2}2p^{5}\).

Step2: Identify the primary shells

The primary shells (principal quantum numbers \(n\)) in the electron configuration are \(n = 1\) and \(n=2\). So, there are 2 primary shells.

Step3: Identify the sub - shells

The sub - shells in the electron configuration are \(1s\), \(2s\), and \(2p\). So, there are 3 sub - shells.

Answer:

A neutral fluorine atom has 2 primary shells and 3 sub - shells.