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Ch.5 - Periodicity & Electronic Structure of Atoms
Chapter 5, Problem 106

Draw orbital-filling diagrams for the following atoms. Show each electron as an up or down arrow, and use the abbreviation of the preceding noble gas to represent inner-shell electrons. (a) Rb (b) W (c) Ge (d) Zr

Verified step by step guidance
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Step 1: Identify the atomic number of each element to determine the total number of electrons. Rb (Rubidium) has an atomic number of 37, W (Tungsten) has 74, Ge (Germanium) has 32, and Zr (Zirconium) has 40.
Step 2: Use the noble gas abbreviation to represent inner-shell electrons. For Rb, use [Kr] (Krypton); for W, use [Xe] (Xenon); for Ge, use [Ar] (Argon); and for Zr, use [Kr] (Krypton).
Step 3: Determine the electron configuration for each element starting from the noble gas core. For example, Rb: [Kr] 5s^1, W: [Xe] 6s^2 4f^14 5d^4, Ge: [Ar] 4s^2 3d^10 4p^2, Zr: [Kr] 5s^2 4d^2.
Step 4: Draw the orbital-filling diagram for each element. Use boxes to represent orbitals and arrows to represent electrons. Fill orbitals according to Hund's rule and the Pauli exclusion principle.
Step 5: Ensure that each orbital is filled correctly with up and down arrows, indicating the spin of electrons. For example, in the 5s orbital of Rb, draw one arrow pointing up.