Skip to main content
Ch.23 - Transition Metals and Coordination Chemistry

Chapter 23, Problem 15c

Write out the ground-state electron configurations of  c. Au³⁺ ,

Verified Solution
Video duration:
1m
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
110
views
Was this helpful?

Video transcript

Hello everyone. Today, we have a following problem. What is the ground state electron configuration of copper two plus ion? We have a 3D with various configurations. So copper is in the fourth period and the ninth element in the D block according to the periodic table or the noble gas configuration of neutral copper, we will place the noble gas that comes just before copper and that is argon. So we place argon in brackets and then we take into account the orbitals in which we were passed through next, which is the four S block and the 3D block. No, usually there would be two electrons in the four S orbital and nine electrons in the D 3D orbital. However, copper is a special exception and that it does not follow traditional rules. So we will remove one electron from four S to two D to achieve a fully filled D orbital. And so therefore our noble noble gas configuration electron configuration furniture copper will be the argon in brackets followed by four S one 3d 10. So essentially we removed one electron and placed it into the 3d orbital. So for the copper two plus ion, this means that we essentially lost to electrons. And so we will lose them from the highest orbitals. That will be the four S, we will lose that one. And then we will lose one from a 3d giving us a configuration of argon and brackets followed by 3d 9. Looking at our answer choices, we see that enter choice a best reflects this. And with that, we have solved the problem overall, I hope this helped. And until next time.