Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the ground-state electron configuration of the F⁻ ion?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
The Electron Configuration
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Which of the following represents the complete ground state electron configuration for a scandium (Sc) atom?
A
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 3d^3
B
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^1
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^1 3d^2
D
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^3
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Identify the atomic number of scandium (Sc). Scandium has an atomic number of 21, which means it has 21 electrons in its neutral ground state.
Step 2: Recall the order of filling electron orbitals according to the Aufbau principle, which generally follows the sequence: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, then 3d.
Step 3: Begin filling the orbitals with electrons, starting from the lowest energy level: fill 1s with 2 electrons, 2s with 2 electrons, 2p with 6 electrons, 3s with 2 electrons, and 3p with 6 electrons. This accounts for 18 electrons so far.
Step 4: Next, fill the 4s orbital before the 3d orbital because 4s is lower in energy for the first-row transition metals. Add 2 electrons to 4s, bringing the total to 20 electrons.
Step 5: Place the remaining 1 electron in the 3d orbital, completing the 21 electrons for scandium. The full ground state electron configuration is therefore: $1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^1$.
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