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Multiple Choice
Given the following orbital diagram, which element does it represent?1s: ↑↓2s: ↑↓2p: ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓3s: ↑↓3p: ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓4s: ↑↓3d: ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓Choose the correct element.
A
Iron (Fe)
B
Zinc (Zn)
C
Nickel (Ni)
D
Copper (Cu)
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Identify the total number of electrons represented in the orbital diagram by counting all the arrows (each arrow represents one electron). Remember that each orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons with opposite spins.
Step 2: Sum the electrons in each subshell: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, and 3d, based on the arrows shown. For example, 1s with two arrows means 2 electrons, 2p with six arrows means 6 electrons, and so on.
Step 3: Add all the electrons together to find the total number of electrons in the atom. This total corresponds to the atomic number of the element since the atom is neutral.
Step 4: Use the atomic number to identify the element on the periodic table. The element with that atomic number is the one represented by the given electron configuration.
Step 5: Confirm that the electron configuration matches the known ground-state electron configuration of the identified element, especially focusing on the filling of the 3d and 4s orbitals.