Author Question: What feature of helium's energy level justifies placing its two valence electrons in a pair? (Read 1285 times)

april345

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 2
Also the question tells you to look at the table, the table just shows the valence electrons of various elements.

I don?t really understand this question. Could someone explain the question to me? I don?t necessary require the answer although some hints would be nice.

Thank You



Millan

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 368
The shell structure of an atom starts with an s subshell in shell 1.  The s subshell can hold 2 electrons.  Helium atoms have 2 electrons.  They can either both go in the 1s shell, or one could go into the next shell, no 2 and into its 2s subshell.  However, the 2s subshell requires more energy to fill than the remaining slot in the 1s shell, so the electrons will be paired in the 1s subshell.  The atom can be excited by external energy, however and that will excite one or both electrons into the next shell.  However, that is no a stable state.



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question
 

Did you know?

In most cases, kidneys can recover from almost complete loss of function, such as in acute kidney (renal) failure.

Did you know?

There can actually be a 25-hour time difference between certain locations in the world. The International Date Line passes between the islands of Samoa and American Samoa. It is not a straight line, but "zig-zags" around various island chains. Therefore, Samoa and nearby islands have one date, while American Samoa and nearby islands are one day behind. Daylight saving time is used in some islands, but not in others—further shifting the hours out of sync with natural time.

Did you know?

Cutaneous mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection that has been fatal in at least 29% of cases, and in as many as 83% of cases, depending on the patient's health prior to infection. It has occurred often after natural disasters such as tornados, and early treatment is essential.

Did you know?

The average adult has about 21 square feet of skin.

Did you know?

More than one-third of adult Americans are obese. Diseases that kill the largest number of people annually, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, and hypertension, can be attributed to diet.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library