The number of electrons in an atom of Iron-56 is
26
To determine the number of electrons in an atom of Iron-56, we need to understand the electron configuration of Iron.
Iron (Fe) has an atomic number of 26, meaning it has 26 protons in its nucleus. In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons.
The electronic configuration of an atom is generally written using the Aufbau principle, which states that electrons fill up orbitals in order of increasing energy.
Iron's electron configuration can be represented as follows: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d⁶.
Counting the total number of electrons, we have:
2 electrons in the 1s orbital
2 electrons in the 2s orbital
6 electrons in the 2p orbital
2 electrons in the 3s orbital
6 electrons in the 3p orbital
2 electrons in the 4s orbital
6 electrons in the 3d orbital
Adding these up, we have:
2 + 2 + 6 + 2 + 6 + 2 + 6 = 26
Therefore, an atom of Iron-56 has 26 electrons.