Name an element in the third period (row) of the periodic table with the following: c. six 3p electrons

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the third period of the periodic table, which includes elements with principal quantum number n=3.
2. Recognize that the 3p subshell can hold a maximum of 6 electrons.
3. Determine that an element with a full 3p subshell will have its 3p orbital completely filled.
4. Locate the element in the third period that has a completely filled 3p subshell, which is the last element in that period.
5. Conclude that the element with six 3p electrons in the third period is Argon (Ar).

Key Concepts

Periodic Table Structure

The periodic table is organized into rows (periods) and columns (groups) based on atomic number and electron configuration. Elements in the same period have the same number of electron shells. The third period includes elements with three electron shells, which can accommodate a specific number of electrons in their outermost shell.

Electron Configuration

Electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals. For elements in the third period, the electron configuration follows the order of filling the 3s and 3p orbitals. The presence of six 3p electrons indicates that the element has filled the 3s orbital and has six electrons in the 3p subshell.

Valence Electrons

Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom and are crucial for chemical bonding. In the context of the third period, having six 3p electrons means the element is likely to be a non-metal, specifically one of the chalcogens, which typically have six valence electrons and exhibit specific chemical properties.