The condensed electron configuration of manganese, element 25, is [Ar]3d^54s^2 [Ne]3s^23p^5 [Ar]3d^54s^2 [Ne]3s^23p^6 [Ar]3d^54s^2 [Ne]3s^23p^9.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The condensed electron configuration of manganese (Mn), element 25, is [Ar] 3d⁵ 4s².
Explanation
Manganese is a transition metal with atomic number 25, meaning it has 25 electrons. To write its electron configuration, we follow the aufbau principle, which dictates the order in which orbitals are filled.
The noble gas argon ([Ar]), with atomic number 18, represents the core configuration. Beyond argon, the remaining seven electrons occupy the 3d and 4s orbitals.
- 4s orbital filling: After [Ar], the 4s orbital fills first with 2 electrons (4s²). The 4s orbital is lower in energy than the 3d orbital initially.
- 3d orbital filling: The next five electrons occupy the 3d orbital, yielding 3d⁵. This configuration is energetically favorable due to half-filled stability.
The incorrect electron configuration in your original message includes noble gas cores that do not match manganese’s atomic structure. Specifically, it incorrectly lists [Ne] and repeats unnecessary configurations.
Why [Ar] 3d⁵ 4s² is correct:
- Noble Gas Core ([Ar]) Instead of listing [Ne], which represents only 10 electrons, [Ar] is correct because it accounts for the first 18 electrons.
- Half-Filled Stability of d-Orbitals The 3d⁵ configuration is stable because half-filled d orbitals exhibit increased exchange energy and symmetry benefits.
- Transition Metal Characteristics Manganese is classified as a transition metal due to its partially filled d subshell. Unlike main-group elements, transition metals sometimes exhibit variations in their electron configurations due to bonding influences.
