Multiple Choice
Which statement best describes the relationship between the number of valence electrons in an element and its chemical activity?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
Valence Electrons of Elements
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Which noble gas has the same electron configuration as the oxygen atom in a water molecule?
A
Helium (He)
B
Argon (Ar)
C
Neon (Ne)
D
Krypton (Kr)
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that the question is asking for a noble gas with the same electron configuration as the oxygen atom in a water molecule. The oxygen atom in water has the same electron configuration as a neutral oxygen atom, since bonding does not change the total number of electrons in the atom itself.
Recall the electron configuration of an oxygen atom, which has 8 electrons. The configuration is $1s^2 2s^2 2p^4$.
Identify the noble gases and their electron configurations: Helium (He) has 2 electrons ($1s^2$), Neon (Ne) has 10 electrons ($1s^2 2s^2 2p^6$), Argon (Ar) has 18 electrons, and Krypton (Kr) has 36 electrons.
Recognize that the noble gas with the closest electron configuration to oxygen is Neon (Ne), which has a full $2p$ subshell, representing a stable, filled shell configuration.
Conclude that the oxygen atom's electron configuration is similar to Neon (Ne) if you consider the oxygen atom gaining 2 electrons to complete its valence shell, which is why Neon is often used as a reference for a full octet in oxygen.
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