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The first-row transition metals from chromium through zinc all have some biologic function in the human body. How many unpaired electrons are present in each of these first-row transition metals in the ground state?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The ground state unpaired electron count for the first-row transition metals from Chromium (Cr) through Zinc (Zn) are: Cr: 5, Mn: 5, Fe: 4, Co: 3, Ni: 2, Cu: 0, and Zn: 0.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the elements in the first-row transition metals

The first-row transition metals are elements with atomic numbers 24 through 30, corresponding to Chromium (Cr) through Zinc (Zn).
02

Write their electron configurations

Using the periodic table, fill up the electron orbitals by the Aufbau principle, Hund's rule, and Pauli Exclusion Principle. The configurations of the first-row transition metals are: Cr: \([Ar]\) 4s\(^1\) 3d\(^5\) Mn: \([Ar]\) 4s\(^2\) 3d\(^5\) Fe: \([Ar]\) 4s\(^2\) 3d\(^6\) Co: \([Ar]\) 4s\(^2\) 3d\(^7\) Ni: \([Ar]\) 4s\(^2\) 3d\(^8\) Cu: \([Ar]\) 4s\(^1\) 3d\(^{10}\) Zn: \([Ar]\) 4s\(^2\) 3d\(^{10}\)
03

Determine the number of unpaired electrons

To find the number of unpaired electrons, examine the d orbitals in the electron configurations: Cr: 3d\(^5\): Five unpaired electrons Mn: 3d\(^5\): Five unpaired electrons Fe: 3d\(^6\): Four unpaired electrons Co: 3d\(^7\): Three unpaired electrons Ni: 3d\(^8\): Two unpaired electrons Cu: 3d\(^{10}\): Zero unpaired electrons Zn: 3d\(^{10}\): Zero unpaired electrons The ground state unpaired electron count for the first-row transition metals is 5, 5, 4, 3, 2, 0, and 0.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Electron Configuration
Electron configuration is a way to describe the arrangement of electrons around the nucleus of an atom. This arrangement is crucial as it helps determine the chemical properties of an element. For transition metals like chromium through zinc, the electron configuration particularly involves the filling of 'd' orbitals.
  • Chromium (Cr) starts with an unusual arrangement: \([Ar]\) 4s\(^1\) 3d\(^5\). Normally, you'd expect it to be 4s\(^2\) 3d\(^4\), but stability is gained with half-filled d orbitals.
  • As you move along to manganese (Mn) and then to zinc (Zn), electrons progressively fill the 3d orbitals, passing through configurations like 3d\(^5\), 3d\(^6\), and so forth.

By understanding electron configurations, you begin to see patterns in reactivity and bonding, making electron configuration a cornerstone of both chemistry and physics.
Unpaired Electrons
Unpaired electrons are those electrons in an atom that are alone in an orbital, making them significant contributors to an element's magnetic properties. In transition metals, the number of unpaired electrons can vary greatly due to how electrons distribute among orbitals.
  • For example, chromium and manganese both have five unpaired electrons, which contributes to their distinct magnetic properties.
  • As we advance further through the period, the number of unpaired electrons decreases, resulting in differing magnetism.

Elements like copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) have no unpaired electrons, which means they are diamagnetic—opposing external magnetic fields. Recognizing unpaired electrons in an element helps illustrate why certain metals are more magnetic than others.
Biologic Function
Transition metals often play vital roles in biological systems due to their diverse properties. In the human body, they contribute to a variety of functions primarily through their participation in enzymes and cofactors that drive biochemical reactions.
  • For example, iron (Fe) is crucial for oxygen transport in blood through its role in hemoglobin.
  • Zinc (Zn) is essential for immune function and metabolism, having roles in over 300 enzymes.

The ability of transition metals to exist in multiple oxidation states and to form complexes are key features that facilitate their biological roles. Therefore, understanding their electron configurations and unpaired electrons can also provide insights into their functionality in biological systems.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

One bit of evidence that the quantum mechanical model is "correct" lies in the magnetic properties of matter. Atoms with unpaired electrons are attracted by magnetic fields and thus are said to exhibit paramagnetism. The degree to which this effect is observed is directly related to the number of unpaired electrons present in the atom. Consider the ground-state electron configurations for Li, N, Ni, Te, Ba, and Hg. Which of these atoms would be expected to be paramagnetic, and how many unpaired electrons are present in each paramagnetic atom?

X rays have wavelengths on the order of \(1 \times 10^{-10} \mathrm{m}\). Calculate the energy of \(1.0 \times 10^{-10} \mathrm{m}\) X rays in units of kilojoules per mole of X rays. (1 mol X rays \(=6.022 \times 10^{23}\) X rays.) AM radio waves have wavelengths on the order of \(1 \times 10^{4} \mathrm{m}\). Calculate the energy of \(1.0 \times 10^{4} \mathrm{m}\) radio waves in units of kilojoules per mole of radio waves. Consider that the bond energy of a carbon- carbon single bond found in organic compounds is 347 kJ/mol. Would X rays and/or radio waves be able to disrupt organic compounds by breaking carbon- carbon single bonds?

Given the valence electron orbital level diagram and the description, identify the element or ion. a. A ground state atom b. An atom in an excited state (assume two electrons occupy the \(1 s\) orbital) c. A ground state ion with a charge of -1

Which of elements \(1-36\) have two unpaired electrons in the ground state?

The elements Si, Ga, As, Ge, Al, Cd, S, and Se are all used in the manufacture of various semiconductor devices. Write the expected electron configuration for these atoms.

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