Practicing Success
What is the general outer configuration of the coinage metals? |
\(ns^2np^6\) \((n – 1)d^9 ns^2\) \((n – 1) d^{10} ns^1\) \((n – 1) d^{10} ns^2\) |
\((n – 1) d^{10} ns^1\) |
The answer is (3), \((n – 1) d^{10} ns^1\). The coinage metals are copper (Cu), silver (Ag), and gold (Au). Their outermost electronic configurations are \((n – 1) d^{10} ns^1\). This means that they have a full d subshell and a single electron in the s subshell. The other answer choices are incorrect. Option (1), \(ns^2np^6\), is the general outer configuration of the noble gases. Option (2), \((n – 1)d^9 ns^2\), is the general outer configuration of the transition metals that have one less electron in the d subshell than the coinage metals. Option (4), \((n – 1) d^{10} ns^2\), is the general outer configuration of the transition metals that have a full d subshell. |