How many electrons are present in the d sublevel of a nickel atom? 0 8 2 4 6
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer: 8
Nickel is a transition metal with the atomic number 28. This atomic number indicates that a neutral nickel atom contains 28 electrons. To determine how many of these electrons are located in the d sublevel, it is necessary to examine the electron configuration of nickel.
The electron configuration of a nickel atom is:
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d⁸
The d sublevel in question is the 3d sublevel, since it is the first d sublevel occupied in nickel’s electron configuration. According to the configuration, the 3d sublevel contains 8 electrons.
The order of filling orbitals follows the Aufbau principle, where electrons fill lower energy orbitals before higher ones. The 4s orbital fills before the 3d orbital, even though the 3d orbital is from the third energy level. However, once filled, the 3d orbital becomes lower in energy than 4s, especially in transition metals.
Thus, although the 4s orbital contains 2 electrons, the d sublevel specifically refers to the 3d orbital, which holds 8 electrons in a nickel atom.
This number of electrons in the 3d sublevel is characteristic of nickel and defines many of its chemical and physical properties, including its magnetic behavior and role in forming coordination compounds. The presence of electrons in the d sublevel also plays a crucial role in the unique colors and reactivity patterns seen in transition metals.
