Questions: Question 10 2 pts How many electrons would be expected in the outermost electron shell of an atom with atomic number 13 ? 1 6 3 4 2

Transcript text: Question 10 2 pts How many electrons would be expected in the outermost electron shell of an atom with atomic number 13 ? 1 6 3 4 2

Solution

Solution Steps

Step 1: Determine the Element with Atomic Number 13

The atomic number of an element indicates the number of protons in its nucleus, which is equal to the number of electrons in a neutral atom. An atom with atomic number 13 is aluminum (Al).

Step 2: Write the Electron Configuration

The electron configuration of an atom describes the distribution of electrons in its atomic orbitals. For aluminum, with 13 electrons, the electron configuration is: \[ 1s^2 \, 2s^2 \, 2p^6 \, 3s^2 \, 3p^1 \]

Step 3: Identify the Outermost Electron Shell

The outermost electron shell is the highest principal energy level that contains electrons. For aluminum, the outermost shell is the third shell, which includes the \(3s^2\) and \(3p^1\) orbitals.

Step 4: Count the Electrons in the Outermost Shell

In the third shell of aluminum, there are a total of \(2 + 1 = 3\) electrons.