Write down the electronic configuration of Al^3+. How many electrons are present in its outermost shell?
The electronic configuration of Al³+ is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶. It has 10 electrons in total, with 8 electrons in its outermost shell.
The electronic configuration of a neutral aluminum (Al) atom with atomic number 13 is: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p¹. Aluminum has three valence electrons in the 3s and 3p orbitals (3s² 3p¹).
To form the Al³⁺ ion, aluminum loses its three valence electrons. The resulting electronic configuration for Al³⁺ is: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶, which is the same as the electron configuration of the noble gas neon.
Electrons in the Outermost Shell
In the Al³⁺ ion, the outermost shell (n = 2) has 8 electrons, all of which are in the 2s and 2p orbitals.
Summary: The Al³⁺ ion has 10 electrons, and there are 8 electrons in its outermost shell after losing three valence electrons.