Calculate the number of valence electrons in Zirconium using its electron configuration step by step.
Determine the number of valence electrons in Zirconium (Zr, Element 40)
The abbreviated (condensed) ground electronic configuration for Zirconium is:
[Kr] 4d2 5s2
Calculate Electronic Configuration for Zirconium
Electrons in atomic orbitals outside the [Kr] core are the outermost electrons:
4d2 5s2
Extract the principle quantum number, n, and number of electrons from the electron configuration:
Electron Configuration | n | Orbital | Number of Electrons |
---|---|---|---|
4d2 | 4 | d | 2 |
5s2 | 5 | s | 2 |
The outermost electrons with the largest principal quantum number (in this case, n = 5) are valence electrons.
Zirconium (Zr) has 2 valence electron(s).