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Which atom would be expected to have a half-filled 4s subshell?

a) Sc (Scandium)
b) Ti (Titanium)
c) V (Vanadium)
d) Cr (Chromium)

User Eckes
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The atom that would be expected to have a half-filled 4s subshell is d. chromium (Cr) due to the stability gained from having a half-filled 3d subshell.

Step-by-step explanation:

d. Chromium (Cr) is the atom that would be expected to have a half-filled 4s subshell. Unlike other elements, the electron configuration of chromium is [Ar] 4s¹3d5, rather than [Ar] 4s²3d¹, due to the stability gained from having a half-filled 3d subshell.

This stability is also observed in other elements like copper (Cu), where the electron configuration is [Ar] 4s¹3d¹⁰.

User Kashif Qureshi
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