Multiple Choice
After the 4d sublevel is completely filled, which electron sublevel begins to fill next?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
The Electron Configuration
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Which of the following is the correct electron configuration for tin (Sn)?
A
[Xe] 4f^{14} 5d^{10} 6s^{2} 6p^{2}
B
[Kr] 5s^{2} 4d^{10} 5p^{4}
C
[Kr] 4d^{10} 5s^{2} 5p^{2}
D
[Ar] 3d^{10} 4s^{2} 4p^{2}
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Identify the atomic number of tin (Sn), which is 50. This tells us the total number of electrons that need to be arranged in the electron configuration.
Step 2: Recall the order of filling electron orbitals based on the Aufbau principle, which fills orbitals in order of increasing energy levels: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, etc.
Step 3: Recognize that the electron configuration for tin will start with the noble gas core that precedes it, which is [Kr] (krypton, atomic number 36), to simplify the notation.
Step 4: After [Kr], add the electrons that fill the 4d, 5s, and 5p orbitals to reach a total of 50 electrons. Specifically, fill 4d^{10}, 5s^{2}, and then 5p^{2} orbitals to complete the configuration.
Step 5: Verify that the final electron configuration matches the total number of electrons (50) and follows the correct order of orbital filling, confirming that the correct configuration is [Kr] 4d^{10} 5s^{2} 5p^{2}.
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