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Mk
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Do scientists know how many electrons an element has? Can someone explain why I was taught about shells of electrons in atoms?
Originally posted by Mk
Do scientists know how many electrons an element has?
Can someone explain why I was taught about shells of electrons in atoms?
Originally posted by Mk
Can someone explain why I was taught about shells of electrons in atoms?
Originally posted by Tom
Yes, we know how many electrons each element has. It is stated on the periodic table.
Two electrons, by their nature, cannot be in the exact same quantum state. For that reason, they arrange themselves into shells in an atom. These shells are solutions to the Schrodinger equation (the basic equation of nonrelativistic QM).
Scientists use the atomic number of an element to determine the number of electrons it has. The atomic number is the number of protons in an atom, and since atoms are electrically neutral, this also represents the number of electrons.
Yes, the number of electrons in an element is always the same. The atomic number of an element is unique to that element and determines the number of protons and electrons it has.
No, scientists cannot physically count the number of electrons in an element. Electrons are incredibly small and move very quickly, making them impossible to count individually.
The number of electrons in an element determines its reactivity and chemical properties. Elements with a full outer electron shell are stable and less reactive, while elements with a partially filled outer shell are more reactive and tend to form bonds with other elements to achieve a full outer shell.
Yes, there are a few exceptions to the number of electrons an element has based on its atomic number. These exceptions occur in elements with partially filled d or f orbitals, which can hold more than the expected number of electrons due to their unique electronic configurations.