Question

Write the electronic configuration of $Ni^{2+}$ (Z for Ni = 28).

Answer 1

Answer:

1

s

2

2

s

22

p

6

3

s

2

3

p

6

4

s

2

3

d

6

in the ground state  

More correctly the electrons lost are the  

4

s

2

leaving  

1

s

2

2

s

2

2

p

6

3

s

2

3

p

6

3

d

8

Explanation:

Nickel  

N

i

28

has 28 electrons. 18 electrons fill up the third electron shell leaving 10 valance electrons. 2 electrons in the 4s and 8 elections in the 3d.

When Nickel becomes  

N

i

+

2

Nickel has lost 2 electrons leaving the atom with only 8 valance electrons.

The 4s electrons a lower energy level that the 3d electrons because of the simpler electron path of the S orbital. So in the ground state the electrons being lost should be the 3d electrons.

However the 4s electrons are further from the nucleus so losing the the 2 4s electrons leaves only the third shell electrons making the atoms more stable than losing the 3d electrons.

So the somewhat stable electron configuration of  

N

i

+

2

is  

1

s

2

2

s

2

2

p

6

3

s

2

3

p

6

3

d

8