Question

An atom with a valence of 3 may have a total of ________ electrons.

1) 3
2) 8
3) 13
4) 17

Answer 1

An atom with a valence of 3 belongs to group 13 on the periodic table, such as boron or aluminum, and has three valence electrons in its outermost energy level.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student asks about the total number of electrons in an atom with a valence of 3. Based on the periodic table, elements in group 13 possess a valence of three because they have three valence electrons in their outer shell. For example, elements like boron, aluminum, gallium, and indium are part of group 13.

These elements have three electrons in their outermost energy level which they can give, take, or share in order to achieve a stable electron configuration. Hence, these atoms have more than 3 electrons in total, but exactly 3 valence electrons.