State the number of electrons lost or gained when the following elements form ions.
Group 3A (3)
Group 3A elements have 3 valence electrons. When they form ions, they tend to lose these 3 electrons to achieve a stable octet configuration. Therefore, they lose 3 electrons when they form ions.
Group 3A elements, also known as Group 13 elements, typically lose three electrons when they form ions. This is because they have three valence electrons and tend to form cations with a +3 charge.
To determine the number of electrons lost or gained when the elements in Group 3A (Group 13 in modern periodic table) form ions, we need to look at their electronic configuration.
Group 3A elements include Boron (B), Aluminum (Al), Gallium (Ga), Indium (In), and Thallium (Tl).
The number in the parentheses indicates the group number, which also corresponds to the valence electrons of the elements in that group. Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost energy level of an atom.
For Group 3A elements, they have three valence electrons. When these atoms form ions, they tend to either lose these three electrons to achieve a stable, positively charged ion or gain five electrons to achieve a stable, negatively charged ion.
For example:
- Boron (B) tends to lose three electrons and form a +3 ion: B -> B3+ (lost 3 electrons)
- Aluminum (Al) also tends to lose three electrons and form a +3 ion: Al -> Al3+ (lost 3 electrons)
- Gallium (Ga) follows the same pattern and forms Ga3+: Ga -> Ga3+ (lost 3 electrons)
- Indium (In) and Thallium (Tl) also lose three electrons and form In3+ and Tl3+, respectively.
So, the Group 3A elements lose three electrons when they form ions.