Calculate the number of valence electrons in Magnesium using its electron configuration step by step.
Determine the number of valence electrons in Magnesium (Mg, Element 12)
The abbreviated (condensed) ground electronic configuration for Magnesium is:
[Ne] 3s2
Calculate Electronic Configuration for Magnesium
Electrons in atomic orbitals outside the [Ne] core are the outermost electrons:
3s2
Extract the principle quantum number, n, and number of electrons from the electron configuration:
Electron Configuration | n | Orbital | Number of Electrons |
---|---|---|---|
3s2 | 3 | s | 2 |
The outermost electrons with the largest principal quantum number (in this case, n = 3) are valence electrons.
Magnesium (Mg) has 2 valence electron(s).