The electron configuration 1 s 2 2 s 2 2 p 6 3 s 2 3 p 2 is the element Silicon. The key to deciphering this is to look at the last bit of information of the electron configuration 3 p 2 . The '3' informs us that the element is in the 3rd Energy Level or row of the periodic table. The 'p' tells us that the element is found in the p-block which are all of the Groups to the right of the transition metals, columns 13-18. The superscript '2' tells us that the element is found in the 2nd column of the p-block Group 14.
