Determine the total number of electrons in the d orbitals of an atom of tin, Sn (Z = 50).
The correct answer and explanation is:
To determine the total number of electrons in the d orbitals of an atom of tin (Sn), we need to first understand the electron configuration of tin and identify which orbitals are involved.
Tin (Sn) has an atomic number (Z) of 50, meaning it has 50 electrons in a neutral state. The electron configuration of an atom describes how these electrons are distributed across different orbitals, from the lowest energy to the highest.
For tin (Sn), the electron configuration is:
Sn:[Kr]4d105s25p2\text{Sn} : [Kr] 4d^{10} 5s^{2} 5p^{2}
This configuration shows that tin has a filled 4d subshell with 10 electrons, two electrons in the 5s subshell, and two electrons in the 5p subshell.
Now, focusing on the d orbitals: The 4d orbitals are filled with 10 electrons. Since each d orbital can hold a maximum of 10 electrons (with five orbitals available in the d subshell), tin’s 4d subshell is fully occupied.
Thus, the total number of electrons in the d orbitals of tin is 10.
In summary, when determining the number of electrons in the d orbitals of an atom, it is essential to look at the electron configuration and specifically focus on the d subshells. For tin, the 4d subshell holds 10 electrons, making the total number of electrons in the d orbitals equal to 10.