Write down abbreviated electron configuration for a neutral atom of Rubidium:
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The abbreviated electron configuration for a neutral atom of rubidium (Rb) is:
[Kr] 5s¹
Explanation:
To understand how to write the abbreviated electron configuration, let’s break it down step by step:
- Atomic Number of Rubidium:
Rubidium (Rb) has an atomic number of 37, which means it has 37 electrons in its neutral state. - Electron Configuration Basics:
The electron configuration is a way of describing how electrons are arranged in an atom’s orbitals. The orbitals fill according to the Aufbau principle (from lowest to highest energy), the Pauli Exclusion Principle (no more than two electrons in each orbital, with opposite spins), and Hund’s Rule (electrons fill degenerate orbitals singly before pairing). - Using Noble Gas Notation:
Instead of writing out the entire electron configuration, we can use the noble gas preceding rubidium, which is Krypton (Kr). Krypton has an atomic number of 36, and its electron configuration is [Kr]. This represents the full electron configuration for the first 36 electrons of rubidium. - Remaining Electrons:
After the noble gas krypton, rubidium has one more electron to place in the next available orbital. The next orbital after krypton is the 5s orbital, so the configuration becomes 5s¹.
Thus, the abbreviated electron configuration for rubidium is [Kr] 5s¹, meaning rubidium’s electrons fill up to the 5s orbital after completing the configuration of krypton.
Summary:
- [Kr] represents the electron configuration of krypton (36 electrons).
- 5s¹ indicates that rubidium has one electron in the 5s orbital.
This abbreviated form simplifies the electron configuration and highlights the outermost electron, which plays a key role in the chemical behavior of the atom.
