Name an element in the fourth period (row) of the periodic table with the following: b. three 4p electrons

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that the 'fourth period' refers to the fourth row in the periodic table. The '4p electrons' refers to the electrons in the 4p subshell.
2. Step 2: Recall that the 4p subshell is filled after the 4s subshell. This means we are looking for an element in the p-block of the fourth period.
3. Step 3: The first element in the p-block of the fourth period is Gallium (Ga), which has one 4p electron. The next element, Germanium (Ge), has two 4p electrons.
4. Step 4: The element with three 4p electrons in the fourth period is Arsenic (As).
5. Step 5: Therefore, the element in the fourth period of the periodic table with three 4p electrons is Arsenic (As).

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, while groups share similar chemical properties. The fourth period includes elements with four electron shells, ranging from potassium (K) to krypton (Kr).

Electron Configuration

Electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals. For elements in the fourth period, the electron configuration follows the order of filling the 4s and 4p orbitals. An element with three 4p electrons will have a configuration that includes the 4p subshell being partially filled, indicating it has three electrons in that subshell.

Valence Electrons

Valence electrons are the outermost electrons of an atom and are crucial for determining chemical reactivity and bonding. In the context of the fourth period, elements with three 4p electrons will have a total of five valence electrons (including the 4s electrons), which influences their chemical behavior and interactions with other elements.