QQuestionChemistry
QuestionChemistry
Based on the electron configuration, how many valence electrons are in calcium, Ca?
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s²
A. 4
B. 20
C. 2
D. 1
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Answer
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Step 1:Let's solve this step by step:
Step 2:: Understand the electron configuration
1s^{2} 2s^{2} 2p^{6} 3s^{2} 3p^{6} 4s^{2}
The given electron configuration for calcium (Ca) is:
Step 3:: Identify valence electrons
Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom. For main group elements, these are the electrons in the highest energy level (principal quantum number).
Step 4:: Locate the outermost electrons
4s^{2}
In this configuration, the outermost electrons are in the 4s orbital:
Step 5:: Count the valence electrons
The 4s orbital contains 2 electrons.
Step 6:: Verify the number of valence electrons
\text{Number of valence electrons} = 2
Final Answer
Explanation: - Calcium is in Group 2 (alkaline earth metals) - Elements in Group 2 typically have 2 valence electrons in their outermost s orbital - The 4s² configuration directly shows 2 valence electrons - These 2 electrons are the ones involved in chemical bonding and determining the element's chemical properties
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