Write out the electron configuration for Krypton. Indicate the valence electrons
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The electron configuration for Krypton (Kr), which has an atomic number of 36, can be written as follows:
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶
To break this down:
- 1s²: This shows that there are two electrons in the first shell’s s-orbital.
- 2s² 2p⁶: In the second shell, there are two electrons in the s-orbital and six electrons in the p-orbital.
- 3s² 3p⁶: The third shell has two electrons in the s-orbital and six electrons in the p-orbital.
- 4s²: The fourth shell starts with two electrons in the s-orbital.
- 3d¹⁰: After filling the 4s orbital, the 3d-orbital gets ten electrons.
- 4p⁶: Finally, the 4p-orbital is filled with six electrons.
This gives Krypton a full electron configuration with 36 electrons total. Now, to identify the valence electrons, we focus on the outermost shell. For Krypton, the outermost shell is the fourth shell, which contains:
- 4s² (2 electrons)
- 4p⁶ (6 electrons)
So, Krypton has 8 valence electrons in its outermost shell.
Explanation:
Valence electrons are the electrons located in the outermost energy level (or shell) of an atom, which are involved in chemical bonding. Krypton, being a noble gas, has a full outer shell, which makes it stable and generally unreactive. Its valence electrons (8 in total) make it chemically inert, as it doesn’t need to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a stable configuration. This is characteristic of the noble gases in Group 18 of the periodic table, all of which have a full outer shell.
