A solid metal is described as having "AN ARRAY OF POSITIVE IONS IN A SEA OF ELECTRONS". Write down the electronic structure of a magnesium atom and use it to explain what this PHRASE means? can you please help me with this question thanks
Certainly! To understand the phrase "an array of positive ions in a sea of electrons," let's start by looking at the electronic structure of a magnesium atom.
The atomic number of magnesium is 12, which means it has 12 electrons. The electronic structure of an atom is represented by a series of energy levels and subshells. In the case of magnesium, the electronic structure can be written as:
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2
This arrangement signifies that magnesium has two electrons in the 1s orbital, two electrons in the 2s orbital, six electrons in the 2p orbital, and two electrons in the 3s orbital.
Now, let's explain what the phrase "an array of positive ions in a sea of electrons" means in the context of solid metals like magnesium.
In solid metals, such as magnesium, the outermost electrons of the atoms become delocalized or detached from individual atoms and are free to move throughout the entire solid lattice. In the case of magnesium, the two valence electrons (in the 3s orbital) become detached from individual magnesium atoms. As a result, the electrons can move freely within the structure.
At the same time, the magnesium atoms themselves become positive ions (+2) since they lose these valence electrons. As a result, you have an array of positively charged magnesium ions (Mg2+) positioned in a regular lattice or array.
The phrase "an array of positive ions in a sea of electrons" refers to this arrangement within solid metals, where the positive ions are fixed in position but surrounded by a "sea" of freely moving valence electrons. This sea of electrons allows for several properties of metals, including electrical conductivity and malleability.
In summary, the electronic structure of a magnesium atom (1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2) demonstrates that when it forms a solid metal, it loses its two valence electrons, resulting in a "sea" of freely moving electrons. The positive magnesium ions are arranged in a regular array, while the electrons can move throughout the solid freely.