Calculate the number of valence electrons in Selenium using its electron configuration step by step.
Determine the number of valence electrons in Selenium (Se, Element 34)
The abbreviated (condensed) ground electronic configuration for Selenium is:
[Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p4
Calculate Electronic Configuration for Selenium
Electrons in atomic orbitals outside the [Ar] core are the outermost electrons:
3d10 4s2 4p4
Extract the principle quantum number, n, and number of electrons from the electron configuration:
Electron Configuration | n | Orbital | Number of Electrons |
---|---|---|---|
3d10 | 3 | d | 10 |
4s2 | 4 | s | 2 |
4p4 | 4 | p | 4 |
The outermost electrons with the largest principal quantum number (in this case, n = 4) are valence electrons.
Selenium (Se) has 6 (2 + 4) valence electrons.