Ytterbium, atomic number 70, is the first element in the Periodic table to have the first four shells full.
a) State the number of electrons in the fourth shell/ level of ytterbium (1)
b)How many orbitals are there in the third shell of ytterbium? (1)
Please help I'm very confused
Thanks for your help so far but I dont know what to write for these questions Drbob222 I only know how to answer clear questions saying "what is the configuration" so please help.
To determine the number of electrons in the fourth shell/level of ytterbium (Yb), you need to understand how electrons occupy different shells or energy levels in an atom. The electron configuration of ytterbium is [Xe] 4f14 6s2.
a) The fourth shell corresponds to the 4th energy level. To find the number of electrons in this shell, you must determine the maximum number of electrons that can occupy each energy level. The formula for determining the maximum number of electrons in a shell is given by 2n^2, where n represents the principal quantum number (energy level).
For ytterbium (Yb), the principal quantum number for the fourth shell is 4. Plugging this value into the formula, you get:
2(4)^2 = 2(16) = 32
Hence, the fourth shell of ytterbium can accommodate a maximum of 32 electrons.
b) The number of orbitals in a given energy level can be determined by the formula 2n^2, where n is the principal quantum number.
For the third shell of ytterbium (n = 3), we can substitute the value into the formula:
2(3)^2 = 2(9) = 18
Therefore, the third shell of ytterbium can have a maximum of 18 orbitals.
In summary:
a) The number of electrons in the fourth shell/level of ytterbium is 32.
b) The number of orbitals in the third shell of ytterbium is 18.