QQuestionChemistry
QuestionChemistry
Identify the subshell from which an electron is removed to form a cation.
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Answer
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Step 1:To identify the subshell from which an electron is removed to form a cation, we need to understand that the process of forming a cation involves losing electrons.
In this case, we are looking for the subshell with the highest number of electrons, as those are the ones most likely to be lost.
Step 2:
Recall the order of filling subshells: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, ... This is known as the Aufbau principle.
Step 3:
Identify the last subshell filled before the electron is removed. For example, in a neutral sodium (Na) atom, the electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s¹, so the last electron to be added is in the 3s subshell.
Step 4:
Conclude that the subshell from which an electron is removed to form a cation is the last subshell filled. In our Na example, the 3s subshell is the one from which an electron is removed to form the Na+ cation.
Final Answer
An electron is removed from the 3s subshell to form the Na+ cation.
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