Q
QuestionChemistry

"How many valence electrons does magnesium (Mg) have? A. 12 B. Six C. Three D. Two"
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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 atomic number of magnesium

- Magnesium (Mg) is located in the periodic table with an atomic number of 12 - The atomic number represents the number of protons in the nucleus

Step 3:
: Identify the electron configuration of magnesium

- The electron configuration of magnesium is $$1s^{2} 2s^{2} 2p^{6} 3s^{2}
- Total electrons = 12

Step 4:
: Locate the valence electrons

- Number of valence electrons = $$2
- Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell - For magnesium, these are the electrons in the 3s orbital

Step 5:
: Verify the answer choices

- Checking the given options: A. 12 (total electrons) - Incorrect B. Six - Incorrect C. Three - Incorrect D. Two - Correct ✓

Final Answer

Two valence electrons