March 29, 2024, 01:05:36 AM
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Topic: electronic configuration and determining the number of unpaired electrons  (Read 13203 times)

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Offline kimi85

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Given is Fe3+

How many unpaired electrons are there?

What I did is I first wrote the electronic configuration.  Based on the electronic configuration I did, I thought there are 3 unpaired electrons.  But the correct answer is there are 5 unpaired electrons.

I hope someone could explain this to me.

Offline Yggdrasil

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Can you show the electron configuration you made?

Offline kimi85

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1s22s22p63s23p64s23d3

Offline Yggdrasil

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For transition metal ions, all of the valence electrons go into the d orbital, so the electron configuration is [Ar]3d5.  I think has to do with the fact that the s-orbital electrons are more easily ionized than d-orbital electrons, but I'm not completely sure that this is a correct explanation.

Offline kimi85

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Thank you very much. So, the two electrons at 4s will go to the 3d?
What will happen to 4s? Will it become 4s0?

Offline Yggdrasil

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Yes, the 4s orbital is unoccupied.

Offline kimi85

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thank you very much  ;D

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