Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements is correct regarding the number of electrons in potassium (K) and argon (Ar)?
1
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
The Electron Configuration
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How many p electrons are present in a neutral atom of antimony (Sb)?
A
18
B
15
C
10
D
12
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the atomic number of antimony (Sb), which tells you the total number of electrons in a neutral atom. Antimony has an atomic number of 51, so it has 51 electrons.
Recall the electron configuration order and fill the orbitals according to the Aufbau principle, Hund's rule, and Pauli exclusion principle. The electron configuration for Sb is built by filling orbitals in the sequence: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p.
Focus on the p orbitals only. The p orbitals start from the 2p subshell and include 2p, 3p, 4p, and 5p for antimony. Count the electrons in each of these p subshells.
Use the fact that each p subshell can hold a maximum of 6 electrons. For antimony, the 2p, 3p, and 4p subshells are fully filled (each with 6 electrons), and the 5p subshell contains the remaining p electrons.
Add the number of electrons in all the p subshells (2p, 3p, 4p, and 5p) to find the total number of p electrons in the neutral antimony atom.
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