Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct electron configuration for tin (Sn)?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
The Electron Configuration
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Which of the following represents the complete ground state electron configuration for a manganese (Mn) atom?
A
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^1 3d^6
B
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^5
C
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 3d^7
D
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^3
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Identify the atomic number of manganese (Mn), which is 25. This means a neutral Mn atom has 25 electrons to be placed in orbitals according to the Aufbau principle.
Step 2: Recall the order of orbital filling based on increasing energy levels: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, then 3d. Electrons fill lower energy orbitals first before moving to higher ones.
Step 3: Fill the orbitals with electrons following the order and the maximum number of electrons each orbital can hold: 1s (2), 2s (2), 2p (6), 3s (2), 3p (6), 4s (2), and then 3d (10).
Step 4: Distribute the 25 electrons accordingly: fill 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, and 3p orbitals fully, then fill 4s with 2 electrons, and place the remaining electrons in the 3d orbital.
Step 5: Apply Hund's rule to the 3d orbitals, which states that electrons occupy degenerate orbitals singly first with parallel spins before pairing up, resulting in a 3d^5 configuration for Mn's ground state.
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