Which of the following is the correct number of valence electrons in the element gallium (Ga)?
A
5
B
1
C
7
D
3
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1
Identify the atomic number of gallium (Ga), which is 31. This tells us the total number of electrons in a neutral atom of gallium.
Write the electron configuration of gallium to understand the distribution of electrons in its shells and subshells. The electron configuration is: \$1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 3d^{10} 4s^2 4p^1$.
Determine the valence electrons by focusing on the electrons in the outermost shell (highest principal quantum number). For gallium, the outermost shell is the 4th shell, which contains \$4s^2$ and \$4p^1$ electrons.
Count the electrons in the outermost shell: \(2\) electrons in the \$4s$ subshell plus \(1\) electron in the \$4p$ subshell, giving a total of \(3\) valence electrons.
Conclude that gallium has 3 valence electrons, which corresponds to the correct answer.