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QuestionChemistry

How many valence electrons does an iron atom (Fe) have?
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Answer

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Step 1:
I'll solve this problem step by step, following the specified LaTeX formatting guidelines:

Step 2:
: Determine the electron configuration of iron

\text{Fe (Atomic Number 26)} \rightarrow 1s^{2} 2s^{2} 2p^{6} 3s^{2} 3p^{6} 4s^{2} 3d^{6}
To find the number of valence electrons, we first need to write out the electron configuration of iron.

Step 3:
: Identify the valence electrons

- Electrons in 3d orbital: $$6 \text{ electrons}
In transition metals like iron, valence electrons include electrons in the outermost s orbital and the d orbital.

Step 4:
: Calculate total valence electrons

2 + 6 = 8 \text{ valence electrons}

Final Answer

An iron (Fe) atom has 8 \text{ valence electrons}.