Why calcium has 8 electrons in m shell This is the reason for Calcium to have a configuration of 2,8,8,2 instead of 2,8,10. This process is related to the concept of stability in chemical elements, as elements tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to reach a stable Oct 19, 2023 · Atoms with 8 electrons in their valence shell have completely filled last orbitals and as a result are most stable as their electronic configuration is similar to that of the closest nobel gas. By losing electrons, Calcium can attain a full outer shell, which is energetically favorable and increases the stability of the atom. The ion would have a charge of 2+: Ca^2+. This periodic table shows the valences of element groups. So for calcium, it can't be 2,8,10. Hence the electron arrangement in calcium is 2, 8, 8, 2. Atoms are composed of protons and neutrons in the nucleus, and electrons in shells M shell has the capacity to hold 18 electrons. And the electron configuration of calcium is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2. The concept of e The electron configuration of calcium shows that the last shell of calcium has two electrons. Calcium has an atomic number of 20, and its electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶, which results in the third shell containing only 8 electrons. Why Calcium and Potassium don't contains more than 8 electrons in their M shell/orbit since the maximum electron containing power of M shell/orbit is 18? Aug 30, 2024 · M shell as valence shell: If the M shell is the valence shell, it can't hold more than 8 electrons. The capacity of M shell is 18, then why does M shell of calcium has 8 electrons though it's atomic number is 20 Solution According to one of the rules of electronic configuration, the maximum number number of electrons that can be accommodated in the valence shell is 8. Jul 26, 2025 · The 3d orbitals have higher energy and are filled after the 4s orbital starts filling, which explains why calcium’s third shell has only 8 electrons even though it can accommodate more. Dec 24, 2021 · -1 I'm a beginner to this topic, so this would likely sound dumb. Mar 11, 2025 · The calcium Bohr model includes a nucleus with 20 protons and 20 neutrons. The significance of electron loss in the ion formation of Calcium lies in achieving a stable electron configuration. If an atom is what is called an "ion," then that means it has a different number of electrons than you’d expect. Nov 30, 2017 · But if we will do electronic configuration of calcium then it will be 2,8,8,2 having 20 electrons. The noble gases have complete octets, so all eight of their electrons are valence electrons. However, why isn't it 2,8,9,1? Can someone explain why calcium has 8 electrons and scandium has 9 in the third shell (why cant calcium also have 9). or Electrons fill atomic orbitals of the lowest available energy levels before occupying higher levels. So according to the Bohr model, an atom's first 3 electron shells can hold electrons as follows: K can hold 2, L can hold 8 and M can hold 18, etc. Atoms tend to adjust their electron counts to achieve this stable configuration. They are filled because of the n-l rule. Thus, M shell can hold a maximum of 18 electrons, however if it is the valence shell, the it cannot hold more than 8 electrons. Sep 1, 2024 · Number of electrons in shells. But why it is not 2,8,9 as M shell have capacity to hold 18 electrons. ” This is the reason for Calcium to have a configuration of 2,8,8,2 instead of 2,8,10 Explanation: Jul 16, 2019 · Why does Calcium only have 8 electrons in the third shell? This principle states that, “Electrons fill atomic orbitals of the lowest available energy levels before occupying higher levels. Once you understand the idea of subshells and orbitals, it will also be easier to understand the rule that the valence shell cannot accommodate more than 8 electrons. Thus, calcium has two valence electrons. Jan 29, 2020 · Answer: The third shell of an atom has 18 electrons only not 8 electrons. Oct 10, 2023 · The Bohr Model of Calcium (Ca) has a nucleus that contains 20 neutrons and 20 protons. Mar 3, 2021 · Alkaline earth atoms (e. The aufbau principle is emphasized, showing the order in which electrons D) It has 8 electrons in its outer electron shell and it is inert. LoginOwing to excessive bot scraping activity, we are currently restricting access to the forum to registered members only. Could ask why it isn't 2,8,10. . Learn how to draw the diagram, explore electron shell distribution, and grasp orbital arrangements, making complex chemistry concepts accessible and engaging for students and enthusiasts Jan 3, 2025 · It suggests that electrons orbit the nucleus in discreet energy levels. Electrons in the same shell have the same amount of energy. g. Why last Shell can't have more than 8 electrons ? | E. The electron configuration of calcium is 1s 2 2s 2 2p 6 3s 2 3p 6 4s 2 which means that the first two electrons enter the 1s orbital. The 3d subshell starts to fill only after the 4s shell (4th shell) begins filling with electrons (which happens in elements after calcium). You. We know calcium has 2 valence electrons, but since it has 20 electrons in its "natural state", shouldn't it have 10 valence electrons (2 in K, 8 in L, 10 in M)? Jan 1, 2023 · Answer: According to one of the rules of electronic configuration, the maximum number number of electrons that can be accommodated in the valence shell is 8. Each element has a unique atomic structure that is influenced by its electronic configuration, which is the distribution of electrons across different orbitals of an atom. The lowest energy level, or ground state, has 2 electrons. Chlorine Electronic Configuration Chlorine has an atomic number of 17. Thus as soon as the number of electrons in the M shell exceeds eight, the filling of the next shell ( that is N) takes place. You might be confused because first the electrons of 4s are filled and then the 10 electrons of 3d shells are filled. Summary Though the 3rd shell can hold 18 electrons, the order of filling means calcium only has 8 electrons in the 3rd shell, with 2 electrons in the 4th shell, completing its total of 20 electrons. May 19, 2012 · Some books and dictionaries define valence electrons as "outer shell electrons that participate in chemical bonding" and by this definition, elements can have more than 8 valence electrons as explained by F'x. L shell capacity is8 and M and N shell is 18 and 36 but we commonly use in 3shell is only 8 electron. This can be Aug 9, 2024 · Calcium, with only 2 electrons in its outermost shell, does not satisfy the octet rule. Chlorine, for example, typically forms an anion with a charge of Dec 20, 2012 · Even though the M shell has the capacity to hold 18 electrons it cannot hold more than eight electrons. Eight electrons in this final shell allow atoms to be stable and non-reactive. The distribution is based on the atomic number, which indicates the number of electrons in a neutral How to Write the Electron Configuration for Calcium (Ca) In order to write the Calcium electron configuration we first need to know the number of electrons for the Ca atom (there are 20 electrons). See in the example of calcium, it has $20$ electrons. N shell: If the N shell has at least one electron, the M shell can accommodate up to 18 electrons because the N shell becomes the outermost orbit. Carbon has 6 electrons, 2 in the 1st shell and 4 in the Jan 31, 2021 · There are a total of two electrons present in the valence shell/outermost shell of calcium (4s²). It's not necessarily the case May 9, 2024 · Each successive electron shell can only hold a certain number of electrons. 3rd shell can hold 18 electrons. To achieve a stable electron configuration, calcium tends to lose these 2 outermost electrons. The electrons in the outermost shell of an atom are called valence electrons. In chemistry and atomic physics, an electron shell may be thought of as an orbit that electrons follow around an atom 's nucleus. This stability comes from having a full outer shell, which is preferred in chemical reactions. Assuming the 1st and 2nd shells are full, the next 8 electrons you add will go into the 3rd shell, but now there are so many electrons in there that it is actually energetically favorable for the next ones to start filling up the 4th The electron configuration of calcium is 2, 8, 8, 2, where up to that point each shell, asides from the first shell counts up to 8 - why then does scandium have an electron configuration of 2, 8, 9 according to Bohr bury model of atom , k shell should have 2 electrons, l shell should have 8 electrons , m shell should have 18 electrons . LIVE solutions available only on Filo App Download Filo now Trusted by 30,00,000 students Found 6 tutors discussing this question Amelia Discussed why calcium does not have 10 electrons in m shell 5 mins ago Discuss this question LIVE 5 mins ago Uncovering the Mystery: Calcium's 3rd Shell Electrons • Calcium's Electrons Explanation • Discover why Calcium has 8 electrons in its 3rd shell by exploring To understand why potassium (atomic number 19) does not have the electronic configuration of 2, 8, 9, we need to follow these steps: Step 1: Understand the Electron Configuration - The electron configuration of an atom describes how electrons are distributed among the various atomic orbitals. To understand why the M shell of calcium contains only 8 electrons despite its capacity being 18, we need to delve into the concepts of electronic configuration, subshells, and the principles governing electron arrangement. And neutral calcium has 20 electrons, not 12. Oct 12, 2023 · In this article, we will discuss – Calcium Orbital diagram, Electron configuration, and Valence electrons in detail. Note- The outermost shell of any element is the shell of Valence. This means that the outermost shell of an atom can only have between 1 and 8 electrons in it before a new outer shell gets started, and this shell becomes an inner shell instead. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like 1. then according to it electronic configuration of calcium should be 2,8,10 but in actual the electronic configuration of calcium is 2,8,8,2. Oct 26, 2016 · The reason why the atomic orbitals are filled in this particular order is what causes calcium's electrical configuration to be 2, 8, 8, 2, rather than 2, 8, 9, 1 or 2, 8, 10. ” According to this principle, Calcium has a configuration of 1s2 ,2s2, 2p6 ,3s2, 3p6, 4s2. The max in a shell is 2n 2 The max for the first shell is 2 The max in the second shell is 8 So calcium cannot be what you wrote. This simplified model allows us to "see" the atom and understand how its electrons are arranged around the nucleus. Therefore, its 17 electrons are distributed in the following manner: K shell – 2 electrons L shell – 8 electrons M shell – 7 electrons The electron configuration of chlorine is illustrated below. The shells correspond to the principal quantum numbers The 3rd shell can always hold 18 electrons, but electrons fill up from the lowest energy states to higher ones. Why do atoms want exactly 8 valence electrons, and why is it impossible to have 9 valence electrons? It's not impossible, and not all elements want exactly 8 electrons in their outer shell. Therefore, the valence electrons of calcium are two. The outermost shell in the Bohr diagram of Calcium contains only 2 electrons that also called valence electrons. It can be written as 1s22s22p63s23p5 or as [Ne]3s 2 3p 5 Jun 26, 2025 · Step-by-Step Guide: Drawing Calcium's Bohr Diagram Now that we have explored calcium's atomic number and its electron configuration, it's time to translate that knowledge into a visual representation: the Bohr diagram. Thus, 1st shell can hold 2 electrons. Jun 2, 2024 · The octet rule states that atoms tend to prefer having 8 electrons in their valence shell in order to possess an electronic configuration similar to the closest noble gas. Jun 18, 2024 · Ca must lose 2 electrons to have a complete 3n shell, which has 8 valence electrons. And also how many electrons can be in every energy level. Hence, the electronic configuration of potassium is 2,8,8,1 and not 2, 8, 9. E) It has 8 electrons in its outer electron shell, it is inert, and it has an atomic mass of 10 daltons. (2,10) (Because you put more than 8 on the second shell!). Follow these steps to create your own Bohr diagram for May 13, 2025 · A simplified model showing the electron shells The arrangement of electrons in shells can also be explained using numbers Instead of drawing electron shell diagrams, the number of electrons in each electron shell can be written down, separated by commas This notation is called the electronic configuration (or electronic structure) E. Calcium has 20 electrons, which are distributed among its energy levels according to the model. Gallium, on the other hand, has an atomic number of 31, and its Calcium is the 20th element in the periodic table and the symbol is ‘Ca’. why calcium has an electronic configuration of 2882 and not 2891 since electrons in m shell is 8 so why 19722You'll get a detailed solution from a subject matter expert that helps you learn core concepts. The explanation clarifies that the third shell can accommodate 18 electrons when considering subshells: s (2), p (6), and d (10). Please login below or In this way, the electrons of an atom or ion form the most stable electron configuration possible. How do you determine if an atom gains or loses electrons, Explain why Calcium atoms form ions with a charge of 2+, Explain why Chlorine atoms form ions with a charge of 1- and more. In this way, the electrons of an atom or ion form the most stable electron configuration possible. Hence, the electronic configuration of potassium is 2,8,8,1 and not 2,8,9. If it goes like $2,8,10$ then the outermost shell contains 10 electrons. This nucleus is surrounded by four-electron shells named K-shell, L-shell, M-shell, and N-shell. Now the atomic number of calcium (Ca) is 20. The octet rule reflects the observation that the most stable ions of many elements have eight electrons in their valence shell for gaining the best possible stability. Aug 9, 2024 · The third electron shell (M shell) can hold a maximum of 18 electrons but is most stable with 8 electrons due to the octet rule. Of course the outermost shell can accommodate $18$ electrons. Oct 31, 2003 · The discussion centers around the confusion regarding electron shell capacities and the octet rule, particularly the third shell's ability to hold 18 electrons versus the traditional view of 8. 4th shell can hold 32 electrons. This article provides you with an electronic configuration chart for all these elements. Starting from Potassium, why is one electron present in the valence shell, making the configuration 2,8,8,1 and why doesn't it become 2,8,9 ? Sep 28, 2018 · The electronic configuration of potassium is 2,8,8,1 and calcium 2,8,8,2 when M shell can have maximum 18 electrons then the next element scandium has electronic configuration 2,8,9,2 and not 2,8,8,3 because: All the atom always tend to have a stable electronic configuration. But first, let's look it by the concept of shells alone. Aug 28, 2021 · Answer: This principle states that, “Electrons fill atomic orbitals of the lowest available energy levels before occupying higher levels. When we write the configuration we'll put all 20 electrons in orbitals around the nucleus of the Calcium atom. Therefore, according to the law of the octet, an atom's outermost shell can accommodate up to 8 electrons (with the exception of a K shell that can accommodate up to 2 electrons). This guide simplifies understanding calcium's atomic structure, highlighting its 20 electrons across energy levels. ” This is the reason for Calcium to have a configuration of 2,8,8,2 instead of 2,8,10. , magnesium, calcium) have two valence electrons. However, in Potassium (K), the M shell has only 8 electrons instead of 9 electrons, the last electron moves into the 4th energy level. e. As far as I know, when distributing electrons in energy shells, the last energy shell can't have more than 8 electrons. com - to confirm your reasons for wishing to join. Mar 3, 2024 · I have always been confused as to why elements of atomic numbers 20-28, i. Higher energy shells can hold more electrons. , Calcium to Nickel have 2 valence electrons in their outer shell. It states that the maximum number of electrons that can occupy the outermost shell of an atom is eight. Sep 18, 2020 · Answer: According to octet rule, the outermost shell of an atom can accommodate maximum 8 electrons (except K shell which can accommodate maximum 2 electrons). The first shell can only contain two electrons, the second eight and the third eighteen. By losing these 2 electrons, calcium achieves the electron configuration of the preceding noble gas, Argon (Ar), which has a full octet (2, 8, 8). 2nd shell can hold 8 electrons. The Bohr model for calcium, specifically, describes the arrangement of electrons in calcium atoms. This rule is often referred to as the octet rule, and is a major concept in chemical bonding. This is why the electronic configuration of calcium is 2, 8, 8, 1 and not 2, 8, 9, 1. May 12, 2016 · This is well explained on the basis of sub shell electronic configuration. The Significance of “8” in Chemistry The rule of 8 or the Octet rule is the tendency of atoms to have eight electrons in their valence shell. and its electronic configration is 2,8,8,2. I believe it is 2, seeing it is a metal, and has 2 valence electrons. Calcium has an atomic number of 20, which means that its atom has twenty electrons around its nucleus. Helium is tiny and can only hold on to two outer electrons. There are 118 elements in the periodic table. The max in the third shell is 18 but some books lie or use an oversimplified model and say 8. The capacity of M shell is 18, then why does M shell of calcium has 8 electrons though it's atomic number is 20 Dec 8, 2024 · Discover the Bohr diagram of calcium, a powerful tool for visualizing electron configuration. The closest shell to the nucleus is called the "1 shell" (also called the "K shell"), followed by the "2 shell" (or "L shell"), then the "3 shell" (or "M shell"), and so on further and further from the nucleus. C 02 | Class 9 | How to do Electronic Configuration | Distribution of Electrons | Structure of Atom | How Electrons distributed | Why only 8 The 2 8 8 18 rule in chemistry is one of the fundamental principles of understanding chemical reactions. The exception is helium, which has two valence electrons. If you are not currently a member, it is easy to join, however, via the register button above, although you must also write to Dr Chris Smith by email - his first name and then at nakedscientists. lets take it example calcium which have 20 atomic number. The stable state is either having an octet (8) or completely filled state Oct 24, 2023 · The number of electrons in the third shell changes from 8 to 18 between calcium (Ca) and gallium (Ga) due to the quantum mechanical model of electron configuration. Therefore, the electronic configuration of calcium is 2,8,8,2 because the third shell is not completely filled with electrons, and only 2 electrons are present in it. Surrounding this nucleus are four electron shells, holding a total of 20 electrons. In this way, the electrons of an atom or ion form the most Oct 22, 2007 · This isn’t enough to fill the next shell, which would require 18 more, so we say that Calcium has 3 filled orbitals and 2 free electrons. vpcrwmwh ehd lnwfsy jfepb cabvbs rai iflnany ises zig jbasi kkusxb htmpi hfcud pbfw whflxk