I am a metal.
I am a transition metal.
I have the smallest atomic radius in my group.
I have 6 valence electrons.
What element am I?
To determine the element that matches the given characteristics, we can follow these steps:
1. Identify the characteristics mentioned:
- The element is a metal.
- The element is a transition metal.
- The element has the smallest atomic radius in its group.
- The element has 6 valence electrons.
2. Find the group in the periodic table where the element with these characteristics lies. Transition metals are found in Groups 3 to 12.
3. Since the element has the smallest atomic radius in its group, we can conclude that it is located in the top left corner of its group. The atomic radius generally decreases as you move from left to right across a period (horizontal row) in the periodic table.
4. Determine the group in which the element has 6 valence electrons. To determine the number of valence electrons, look at the group number of the element in the periodic table.
5. Based on the information provided, the element that matches all the given characteristics is Chromium (Cr). It is a transition metal found in Group 6 with the electron configuration 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s¹ 3d⁵. Chromium has 6 valence electrons, and within its group, it has the smallest atomic radius.
So, in summary, you are an atom of the element Chromium (Cr).