Question

Which of the following contains the same total number of unpaired electrons as potassium (K)?

a. Sc
b. Cl
c. Mg
d. more than one response is correct

Answer 1

Scandium and Chlorine contain the same total number of unpaired electrons as potassium (K).

Step-by-step explanation:

Potassium (K) has one unpaired electron in its valence shell. To find another element with the same number of unpaired electrons, we need to look for an element that also has one electron in its valence shell.

Out of the options provided, both Scandium (Sc) and Chlorine (Cl) have one unpaired electron in their valence shells. Therefore, the correct answer is (a) Sc, (b) Cl. Both of these elements contain the same total number of unpaired electrons as potassium (K).

Answer 2

Both chlorine (Cl) and scandium (Sc) have the same number of unpaired electrons as potassium (K), with each having one unpaired electron. Therefore, the answer is that d) more than one response is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine which element has the same number of unpaired electrons as potassium (K), we must first understand the electron configuration of potassium. Potassium has an atomic number of 19, which means it has one electron in its outermost shell (4s1). This one electron is unpaired. Now we need to find which of the given options also has a single unpaired electron in its electron configuration.

• Magnesium (Mg): This element has a full 3s orbital with two paired electrons, so it has no unpaired electrons.
• Chlorine (Cl): With a configuration ending in 3p5, chlorine has one unpaired electron in the p orbital.
• Scandium (Sc): Scandium's configuration ends in 3d1, which means it has one unpaired electron in the d orbital.

Therefore, both chlorine (Cl) and scandium (Sc) have the same number of unpaired electrons as potassium (K), which is one. The correct answer to the question is (d) more than one response is correct.