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Grade 11Physical Chemistry

What are the atomic numbers of elements whose outermost electrons are represented by 3d6 ,3d8 ,2p6 ,3d10

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8 Years agoGrade 11
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ApprovedApproved Tutor Answer11 Months ago

To determine the atomic numbers of elements based on their outermost electron configurations, we need to analyze each configuration you provided. The outermost electrons indicate the highest energy level and the specific subshells that are being filled. Let's break down each configuration step by step.

Understanding Electron Configurations

Electron configurations describe the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals. The notation you provided indicates the number of electrons in specific subshells. The outermost electrons are crucial for determining the chemical properties of an element.

1. Configuration: 3d6

This configuration suggests that there are 6 electrons in the 3d subshell. To find the atomic number, we need to consider the complete electron configuration leading up to this point:

  • 1s2
  • 2s2
  • 2p6
  • 3s2
  • 3p6
  • 3d6

Counting these gives us:

  • 1s: 2
  • 2s: 2
  • 2p: 6
  • 3s: 2
  • 3p: 6
  • 3d: 6

Adding these together: 2 + 2 + 6 + 2 + 6 + 6 = 24. Therefore, the atomic number for the element with the configuration 3d6 is 24, which corresponds to chromium (Cr).

2. Configuration: 3d8

For this configuration, we again look at the preceding electron configurations:

  • 1s2
  • 2s2
  • 2p6
  • 3s2
  • 3p6
  • 3d8

Counting these gives us:

  • 1s: 2
  • 2s: 2
  • 2p: 6
  • 3s: 2
  • 3p: 6
  • 3d: 8

Adding these together: 2 + 2 + 6 + 2 + 6 + 8 = 26. Thus, the atomic number for the element with the configuration 3d8 is 26, which is iron (Fe).

3. Configuration: 2p6

This configuration indicates that there are 6 electrons in the 2p subshell. The complete configuration leading up to this point is:

  • 1s2
  • 2s2
  • 2p6

Counting these gives us:

  • 1s: 2
  • 2s: 2
  • 2p: 6

Adding these together: 2 + 2 + 6 = 10. Therefore, the atomic number for the element with the configuration 2p6 is 10, which corresponds to neon (Ne).

4. Configuration: 3d10

For this configuration, we look at the complete electron configuration:

  • 1s2
  • 2s2
  • 2p6
  • 3s2
  • 3p6
  • 3d10

Counting these gives us:

  • 1s: 2
  • 2s: 2
  • 2p: 6
  • 3s: 2
  • 3p: 6
  • 3d: 10

Adding these together: 2 + 2 + 6 + 2 + 6 + 10 = 28. Thus, the atomic number for the element with the configuration 3d10 is 28, which corresponds to nickel (Ni).

Summary of Atomic Numbers

To summarize, the atomic numbers for the given outermost electron configurations are:

  • 3d6: 24 (Chromium)
  • 3d8: 26 (Iron)
  • 2p6: 10 (Neon)
  • 3d10: 28 (Nickel)

This method of analyzing electron configurations helps us understand the arrangement of electrons in an atom and their implications for chemical behavior.