QQuestionChemistry
QuestionChemistry
How many valence electrons are in an atom of fluorine?
A. Two
B. Seven
C. Nine
D. Seventeen
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Answer
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Step 1:I'll solve this step-by-step following the LaTeX formatting guidelines:
Step 2:: Understand Valence Electrons
Valence electrons are the electrons located in the outermost shell of an atom, which determine the atom's chemical properties and bonding behavior.
Step 3:: Identify Fluorine's Electron Configuration
Its electron configuration is $$1s^{2} 2s^{2} 2p^{5}$$.
Fluorine is element number 9 on the periodic table.
Step 4:: Count Valence Electrons
- Total valence electrons: $$2 + 5 = 7
To count valence electrons, we look at the electrons in the highest energy level (outermost shell):
Step 5:: Verify the Answer
Counting the valence electrons confirms that fluorine has 7 valence electrons.
Final Answer
Seven The key is recognizing that valence electrons are those in the highest energy level, which for fluorine are the electrons in the 2s and 2p orbitals, totaling 7 electrons.
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