Multiple Choice
How do valence electrons determine the reaction between sodium and chlorine?
10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
Valence Electrons of Elements
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Provide the number of valence electrons in the iron (III) ion.
A
2 valence electrons
B
5 valence electrons
C
8 valence electrons
D
3 valence electrons
E
6 valence electrons
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the electron configuration of a neutral iron (Fe) atom. Iron has an atomic number of 26, so its electron configuration is [Ar] 3d^6 4s^2.
Determine the electron configuration of the iron (III) ion, Fe^3+. This ion is formed by removing three electrons from the neutral iron atom.
Remove electrons starting from the outermost shell. For Fe^3+, remove two electrons from the 4s orbital and one electron from the 3d orbital, resulting in the configuration [Ar] 3d^5.
Count the number of electrons in the outermost shell (3d) of the Fe^3+ ion. The 3d subshell contains 5 electrons.
Conclude that the number of valence electrons in the iron (III) ion is 5, as these are the electrons in the 3d subshell.
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