What is this element

What is this element? 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 * a. Zinc b. Copper c. Nickel d. Germanium Which ‘rule for filling’ is being violated in the orbital diagram shown here? * Captionless Image a. Aufbau b. Hund’s Rule c. The Pauli Exclusion Principle d. The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle What is the Pauli Exclusion Principle? * a. An atomic orbital can only hold a maximum of 2 electrons, each with opposite spins b. An atomic orbital can hold a minimum of 6 electrons, each with opposite spins c. An atomic orbital can hold a maximum of 6 electrons, each with the same spin d. An atomic orbital can hold a minimum of 2 electrons, each with opposite spins In the quantum-mechanical model of the atom, which of the following is NOT one of the four quantum numbers needed to specify the probable location of an electron? * a. Principal quantum number which describes the energy level/distance from the nucleus b. Heisenberg number (H) which describes the electron’s position and momentum. c. Angular quantum number (I) which describes the shape of an electron’s orbital d. Magnetic quantum number (ml) which describes the orbitals orientation in Space Germanium Which ‘rule for filling’ is being violated in the orbital diagram shown here?* Captionless Image a. Aufbau b. Hund’s Rule c. The E Uncertainty Principle What is the Pauli Exclusion Principle? * a. An atomic orbital can only hold a maximum of 2 electrons, each with opposite spins minimum of 6 electrons, each with opposite spins c. An atomic orbital can hold a maximum of 6 electrons, each with the same spin d. An atomi What

The Correct Answer and Explanation is :

Element Identification:

The electron configuration given is:

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰

This configuration corresponds to Zinc (Zn), which has an atomic number of 30. Let’s break it down:

  • 1s², 2s², 2p⁶, 3s², 3p⁶, 4s² fill the lower energy orbitals (K, L, M, N shells).
  • 3d¹⁰ completes the d-subshell.

Thus, the correct answer is a. Zinc.


Rule for Filling Violation:

The question asks which rule for filling is violated. The options are:

  1. a. Aufbau Principle
  2. b. Hund’s Rule
  3. c. Pauli Exclusion Principle
  4. d. Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle

Explanation of Each Rule:

  • Aufbau Principle: Electrons fill orbitals starting from the lowest energy level.
  • Hund’s Rule: Electrons fill degenerate orbitals (orbitals with the same energy level) singly before pairing up.
  • Pauli Exclusion Principle: No two electrons in an atom can have the same set of four quantum numbers. In practical terms, this means that an orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons, and they must have opposite spins.
  • Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle: It’s impossible to simultaneously know both the position and momentum of a particle precisely.

Based on the given configuration and question, we’re likely looking at a situation where an orbital might have more than two electrons with the same spin, violating the Pauli Exclusion Principle.

Correct Answer:

c. The Pauli Exclusion Principle


The Pauli Exclusion Principle:

The Pauli Exclusion Principle states that no two electrons in an atom can have the same set of quantum numbers, meaning:

  • Every electron in an atom is described by a unique set of four quantum numbers (n, l, mₗ, and mₛ).
  • This implies that an orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons, and those two electrons must have opposite spins (one with spin +1/2 and the other with spin -1/2).

Thus, the correct answer is:

a. An atomic orbital can only hold a maximum of 2 electrons, each with opposite spins.


Quantum Numbers:

In the quantum-mechanical model of the atom, the four quantum numbers that describe an electron’s probable location are:

  1. Principal quantum number (n): Indicates the energy level or distance from the nucleus.
  2. Angular quantum number (l): Describes the shape of the orbital.
  3. Magnetic quantum number (mₗ): Describes the orientation of the orbital in space.
  4. Spin quantum number (mₛ): Describes the spin direction of the electron (either +1/2 or -1/2).

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle is not a quantum number, so it is the correct answer to the final question:

b. Heisenberg number (H) which describes the electron’s position and momentum.


To summarize, the Pauli Exclusion Principle regulates the maximum number of electrons that can be in a given orbital, preventing two electrons from having the same set of quantum numbers. The element in question is Zinc, and the violation in the orbital diagram is most likely the Pauli Exclusion Principle.

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