Multiple Choice
Which of the following best describes what an electron domain consists of?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
The Electron Configuration
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Which of the following represents the correct orbital diagram for platinum (Pt, atomic number 78)?
A
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^10 5p^6 6s^2 4f^14 5d^8
B
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^10 5p^6 6s^1 4f^14 5d^9
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^10 5p^6 6s^2 4f^14 5d^10
D
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^10 5p^6 6s^1 4f^14 5d^10
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand that platinum (Pt) has an atomic number of 78, meaning it has 78 electrons to be placed in orbitals according to the Aufbau principle, Hund's rule, and the Pauli exclusion principle.
Step 2: Write the expected electron configuration by filling orbitals in order of increasing energy: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, and 5d, until all 78 electrons are accounted for.
Step 3: Recognize that for transition metals like platinum, electron configurations can deviate from the straightforward filling order to achieve greater stability, often by having a half-filled or fully filled d-subshell.
Step 4: Specifically for Pt, check if the 6s orbital has one or two electrons and how many electrons are in the 5d subshell. The most stable configuration often involves moving one electron from the 6s orbital to the 5d orbital to maximize d-subshell stability.
Step 5: Compare the given options to identify the configuration where 6s has 1 electron and 5d has 9 electrons (6s^1 5d^9), which reflects the experimentally observed stable electron configuration for platinum.
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