Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct electron configuration for the sodium ion, Na$^+$?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
The Electron Configuration
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Which of the following is the correct ground-state electron configuration for a neutral lead (Pb) atom?
A
[Kr] 4d^{10} 5s^{2} 5p^{6} 6s^{2} 6p^{2}
B
[Xe] 4f^{14} 5d^{10} 6s^{2} 6p^{2}
C
[Xe] 4f^{14} 5d^{10} 6s^{2} 5p^{6}
D
[Xe] 4f^{14} 5d^{10} 6s^{2} 6p^{4}
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the atomic number of lead (Pb), which is 82. This tells us the total number of electrons in a neutral Pb atom.
Recall the order of filling electron orbitals according to the Aufbau principle, which generally follows the sequence: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, etc.
Use the noble gas shorthand notation to simplify the electron configuration by starting from the nearest noble gas preceding Pb. For Pb, this is Xenon (Xe), which accounts for the first 54 electrons.
Add the remaining electrons after Xe by filling the 4f, 5d, 6s, and 6p orbitals in the correct order and with the correct number of electrons to reach a total of 82 electrons.
Compare the given options with the correct configuration derived from the above steps, ensuring the total electron count and orbital filling order match the ground-state configuration of Pb.
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