how many valence electron do silver have
The correct answer and explanation is:
Silver (Ag) is in Group 11 of the periodic table. Its atomic number is 47, which means that a neutral silver atom has 47 electrons in total. The electron configuration of silver is:
[Kr]4d105s1\text{[Kr]} 4d^{10} 5s^{1}
To determine the number of valence electrons in silver, it’s important to look at the electrons in the outermost shell. In silver’s case, the highest energy level consists of the 5s and 4d orbitals.
- The 5s orbital holds 1 electron.
- The 4d orbital holds 10 electrons.
Thus, silver has 1 electron in the 5s orbital and 10 electrons in the 4d orbital, giving a total of 11 valence electrons. These electrons are involved in bonding and chemical reactions.
The reason silver behaves as it does chemically is due to the unique nature of these 11 valence electrons. While the 5s electron is easily lost in reactions, the 4d electrons can also participate in bonding due to their relatively low energy compared to the full 5d orbitals of higher elements. This gives silver its characteristic metallic properties, such as conductivity and its ability to form a wide range of compounds, including complex ions and coordination compounds.
In summary, silver has 11 valence electrons, contributing to its chemistry, bonding behavior, and the types of compounds it can form. These electrons play a central role in its electrical conductivity, malleability, and reflective properties, making silver highly useful in electronics, jewelry, and many other applications.