Calculate the number of valence electrons in Carbon using its electron configuration step by step.
Determine the number of valence electrons in Carbon (C, Element 6)
The abbreviated (condensed) ground electronic configuration for Carbon is:
[He] 2s2 2p2
Calculate Electronic Configuration for Carbon
Electrons in atomic orbitals outside the [He] core are the outermost electrons:
2s2 2p2
Extract the principle quantum number, n, and number of electrons from the electron configuration:
Electron Configuration | n | Orbital | Number of Electrons |
---|---|---|---|
2s2 | 2 | s | 2 |
2p2 | 2 | p | 2 |
The outermost electrons with the largest principal quantum number (in this case, n = 2) are valence electrons.
Carbon (C) has 4 (2 + 2) valence electrons.