Multiple Choice
How many valence electrons does a neutral atom of beryllium (Be) have?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
Valence Electrons of Elements
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Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first videoMultiple Choice
How many unpaired electrons are present in a ground-state vanadium (V) atom?
A
3
B
0
C
1
D
2
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the atomic number of vanadium (V), which is 23. This means a neutral vanadium atom has 23 electrons.
Write the electron configuration for vanadium in its ground state. Start by filling the lower energy orbitals: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, then 4s, and finally 3d. The configuration is: $1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^3$.
Focus on the valence electrons, which are in the 4s and 3d orbitals. Vanadium has 2 electrons in 4s and 3 electrons in 3d.
Determine the number of unpaired electrons by applying Hund's rule to the 3d orbitals. Since there are 3 electrons in 3d, each will occupy separate orbitals with parallel spins, resulting in 3 unpaired electrons.
Conclude that the number of unpaired electrons in a ground-state vanadium atom is 3.
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