How will Indium (In) achieve a stable electron configuration?
Indium (In) achieves a stable electron configuration by following the Octet Rule, which states that atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons in order to have a full outer shell with eight electrons.
Indium has an atomic number of 49, which means it has 49 electrons. Its electron configuration is [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p1. The three outermost electrons in the 5s and 5p orbitals make up the valence electrons.
To achieve a stable electron configuration, Indium tends to lose those three valence electrons. By losing these electrons, Indium creates a 3+ cation, and its electron configuration becomes [Kr] 4d10. This configuration is more stable because the 4d orbitals are fully filled.
By losing three electrons, Indium achieves a stable electron configuration similar to its neighboring noble gas, Xenon (Xe), whose electron configuration is [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p6.