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Chapter 9: Problem 74

Name the element in the fourth period of the periodic table with: (a) five valence electrons (b) a total of four \(4 p\) electrons (c) a total of three \(3 d\) electrons (d) a complete outer shell

Short Answer

Expert verified
The elements are (a) arsenic (As), (b) selenium (Se), (c) vanadium (V), (d) krypton (Kr).

Step by step solution

01

Identify the Element with Five Valence Electrons

Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom that can participate in chemical bonding. In the periodic table, the group number (for groups 1-2 and 13-18) often indicates the number of valence electrons for the elements in that group. Therefore, to find an element in the fourth period with five valence electrons, look at Group 15 (5A). The element in the fourth period of this group is arsenic (As).
02

Find the Element with Four 4p Electrons

The 'p' block electrons start filling after the 's' block electrons for a given period. In the fourth period, the 'p' block starts with Group 13 (3A), which means the first 'p' electron will be placed in the '4p' subshell. Since we need an element with four '4p' electrons, we have to move three groups to the right of Group 13 to reach Group 16 (6A), which has four '4p' electrons. The element in the fourth period of this group is selenium (Se).
03

Determine the Element with Three 3d Electrons

The 'd' subshell starts filling from the 3rd period. In the fourth period, the 'd' orbitals continue to fill. To find an element with a total of three '3d' electrons, we look at the first 'd' block section in the fourth period. This begins with scandium (Sc) which has one '3d' electron, so we move two columns to the right to find the element with three '3d' electrons, which is vanadium (V).
04

Locate the Element with a Complete Outer Shell

A complete outer shell typically refers to a noble gas configuration, where all 's' and 'p' subshells in the outermost energy level are filled with electrons. In the fourth period, the noble gas with a fully filled outer shell is krypton (Kr), located at the end of the period in Group 18 (8A).

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Valence Electrons
Valence electrons are the key players in chemical bonding and reactions. They are the electrons located in an atom's outermost shell and determine an atom's ability to bond with others.

For example, in Group 15 of the periodic table, all elements have five valence electrons. This includes arsenic (As), which is located in the fourth period. These electrons are responsible for the formation of covalent bonds, where atoms share electrons to achieve stability.
Electron Configuration
Understanding electron configuration is crucial for predicting an atom’s chemical, physical, and bonding properties. It is the arrangement of electrons in an atom's orbitals, subshells, and shells.

Each subshell (s, p, d, f) has a specific maximum number of electrons it can hold. For instance, the 's' subshell can hold a maximum of two electrons, while the 'p' subshell can hold up to six. In selenium (Se), which has four 4p electrons, the electron configuration helps us visualize how these electrons are arranged and how this influences the atom's reactivity.
P Block Elements
The p block elements are located on the right side of the periodic table and include Groups 13 through 18. These elements are characterized by having their valence electrons in p orbitals, which can hold a total of six electrons.

The variety within the p block is vast, with metals, nonmetals, and metalloids all present. The progression through the block from elements like boron (B) to the noble gases follows an increase in electron count within the p orbitals. This trend is crucial for understanding the chemistry of elements such as selenium (Se), a Group 16 element with its distinct set of p orbital electrons.
D Block Elements
The d block elements, also known as the transition metals, span Groups 3 through 12. These elements are unique in that they fill the d subshell, which can hold up to ten electrons.

They exhibit a large range of physical and chemical behaviors, often forming colorful compounds and acting as good conductors of heat and electricity. The process of filling the d orbitals is demonstrated with vanadium (V), which in the fourth period, has three '3d' electrons. The way these electrons are configured provides transition metals with their characteristic properties.
Noble Gases
Noble gases are the elements in Group 18 of the periodic table and are renowned for their lack of reactivity. This inertness is due to their complete outer shells, which means they have no tendency to gain or lose electrons in chemical reactions.

While helium has two valence electrons, all other noble gases have eight, conforming to the octet rule. Krypton (Kr), for example, situated at the end of the fourth period, has its p and s orbitals completely filled, establishing a highly stable electronic configuration.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

How many \(3 d\) electrons are in an atom of each element? (a) \(\mathrm{Fe}\) (b) \(\mathrm{Zn}\) (c) \(\mathrm{K}\) (d) As

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