The Atomic Number of Element 'M'

The atomic number of an element represents the number of protons present in the nucleus of an atom. In this case, the atomic number of element 'M' is 26. This means that the nucleus of the atom contains 26 protons.

Electron Configuration

To determine the number of electrons present in the M-shell of the element in its ground state, we need to understand its electron configuration. The electron configuration of an atom refers to the distribution of electrons in its various energy levels or shells.

The electron configuration of an atom can be determined using the Aufbau principle, which states that electrons fill the lowest energy levels first before moving to higher energy levels. The shells are labeled with letters, starting from the innermost shell, which is labeled as the K-shell, followed by the L-shell, M-shell, and so on.

Electron Distribution in Shells

The maximum number of electrons that can be accommodated in a particular shell can be determined using the formula 2n^2, where 'n' represents the shell number. Therefore, the maximum number of electrons in the K-shell (n=1) is 2, in the L-shell (n=2) is 8, and in the M-shell (n=3) is 18.

Electron Distribution in Element 'M'

In the case of element 'M' with an atomic number of 26, we can determine the electron distribution as follows:

1. The K-shell can accommodate a maximum of 2 electrons.
2. The L-shell can accommodate a maximum of 8 electrons.
3. The M-shell can accommodate a maximum of 18 electrons.

Since the atomic number of element 'M' is 26, the first two electrons will occupy the K-shell, the next eight electrons will occupy the L-shell, and the remaining 16 electrons will occupy the M-shell.

Number of Electrons in the M-Shell

Considering the electron distribution, we can conclude that there are 16 electrons present in the M-shell of element 'M' in its ground state.