What determines whether 2 or 3 electrons will be removed from Fe when it reacts with another chemical or element?
The determination of whether 2 or 3 electrons will be removed from iron (Fe) during a chemical reaction depends on its oxidation state or valence electrons.
To understand this, we need to look at the electron configuration of iron. Fe has an atomic number of 26, so its electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d⁶. In its ground state, iron has two valence electrons in the 4s orbital and six valence electrons in the 3d orbital.
Iron can exhibit different oxidation states due to its ability to gain or lose electrons. With a total of 26 protons, iron tends to lose electrons to achieve a filled 3d orbital, which corresponds to its most stable and common oxidation state of +2. In the +2 oxidation state, Fe loses two electrons, leaving behind the electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d⁶.
However, iron can also lose one more electron to form the +3 oxidation state. In this case, Fe loses three electrons, resulting in the electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d⁵.
Whether iron loses 2 or 3 electrons during a reaction depends on the specific chemical or element it is reacting with and the reaction conditions. Factors such as the electronegativity of the other element or the presence of coordinating ligands can influence the electron transfer process.
Therefore, understanding the electron configuration and the concept of oxidation states will help determine how many electrons iron will lose during a chemical reaction.