Multiple Choice
Which of the following represents the valence electron configuration for a calcium (Ca) atom?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
Valence Electrons of Elements
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How many valence electrons are present in the polyatomic ion PO_3^{3-}?
A
26
B
24
C
32
D
28
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the atoms present in the polyatomic ion PO_3^{3-}. It contains 1 phosphorus (P) atom and 3 oxygen (O) atoms.
Determine the number of valence electrons for each atom based on their group in the periodic table: phosphorus (P) has 5 valence electrons, and oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons each.
Calculate the total valence electrons contributed by the atoms: multiply the number of oxygen atoms by their valence electrons and add the valence electrons of phosphorus: $5 + 3 \times 6$.
Account for the charge of the ion. Since the ion has a 3- charge, add 3 extra electrons to the total valence electrons to reflect the negative charge.
Sum all the valence electrons from the atoms and the extra electrons from the charge to find the total number of valence electrons in PO_3^{3-}.
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