(d) If you remove a single electron from a P atom, which orbital will it come from?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the electron configuration of a neutral phosphorus (P) atom. Phosphorus has an atomic number of 15, which means it has 15 electrons in its neutral state.
2. Write out the electron configuration using the Aufbau principle, Hund's rule, and the Pauli exclusion principle. The electron configuration of phosphorus is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p³.
3. Determine which electrons are the most loosely held. Electrons in the highest energy level (highest principal quantum number, n) are generally the most loosely held.
4. Identify the outermost electrons in phosphorus. In this case, the electrons in the 3p orbital are the outermost.
5. Conclude that if a single electron is removed from a phosphorus atom, it will come from the 3p orbital, as these are the highest energy electrons and most accessible for removal.

Key Concepts

Electron Configuration

Electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals. For a phosphorus (P) atom, which has 15 electrons, the electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p³. Understanding this configuration is essential to determine which orbital an electron will be removed from when an atom is ionized.

Orbitals and Energy Levels

Orbitals are regions in an atom where there is a high probability of finding electrons. They are organized into energy levels, with s, p, d, and f types having different shapes and capacities. In phosphorus, the outermost electrons are in the 3s and 3p orbitals, which are higher in energy compared to the filled inner orbitals.

Ionization Energy

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom in its gaseous state. The first ionization energy for phosphorus is relatively low compared to noble gases, indicating that the outermost electrons (in the 3s and 3p orbitals) are more easily removed. This concept helps predict which orbital an electron will be removed from during ionization.