Question

Given following electron configurations, 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p65s24d9 and 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p65s14d10.

Part 1: Name the element.
Part 2: Both electron configurations are correct, and the second one is what is found most often in nature. Suggest a reason for why silver most often exists as an exception to the normal electron configuration rules.

Answer 1

Part 1: The name of the element is Silver, Ag because it has 47 electrons.

Part 2: A reason why silver often exists as an exception to the normal electron configuration rules is that the atom wants to be more stable. According to the chart, orbital d can hold 10 electrons. But in the first configuration 4d is only holding 9 electrons. To make an atom more stable it is better for the inner shells to be stronger. So the electron drops down a level. Another reason may be because of valence electrons. Metals like lower ionization energies. It would be easier for a Silver atom to react if it only had to give one valence electron instead of two. This is because it takes more Ionization energy to attract 2 valence electrons than one.

Answer 2

Explanations:- Part 1: We could count the total number of electrons by looking at the electron configurations. Both of these electrons configurations have 47 electrons. If we look at the periodic table then 47 is the atomic number of silver. So, the name of the element is silver and its represented as Ag.

Part 2: As per the rule, Completely filled and half filled orbitals are more stable. First electron configuration has 9 electrons in 4d and we know that d is more stable if it has 5 electrons(half filled) or it has 10 electrons(full filled).

For stability reasons, one of the electron from 5s goes to 4d and for this reason the second electron configuration is found most often in nature for silver.

Few other examples are Cr and Cu.