Which electron shell in an atom of calcium in the ground state has an electron with the greatest
Which electron shell in an atom of calcium in the ground state has an electron with the greatest amount of energy?
(1) 1
(2) 2
(3) 3
(4) 4
Explanation: The further an electron is from the nucleus, the higher its energy is. Therefore, electrons in the valence shell (outermost shell) have the highest amount of energy. If we look at the Reference Table: Periodic Table of Elements section, we can find calcium and check its electron configuration at the bottom. The electron configuration for Calcium is 2-8-8-2 (2 electrons in the first shell, 8 in the second shell, 8 in the third shell, and 2 in the fourth shell). Therefore, calcium has four electron shells, and an electrons with the greatest amount of energy will be found in the fourth shell. Choice 4.
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