What is the effective nuclear charge (Z_eff) for a 3s electron in sodium (Na)?
Practice Questions
Q1
What is the effective nuclear charge (Z_eff) for a 3s electron in sodium (Na)?
1
3
11
8
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What is the effective nuclear charge (Z_eff) for a 3s electron in sodium (Na)?
Step 1: Identify the atomic number (Z) of sodium (Na). Sodium has an atomic number of 11, which means it has 11 protons.
Step 2: Understand that the effective nuclear charge (Z_eff) is calculated using the formula Z_eff = Z - S, where S is the shielding constant.
Step 3: Determine the shielding constant (S) for the 3s electron in sodium. The 1s and 2s electrons shield the 3s electron. For sodium, the shielding from these electrons is approximately 3.
Step 4: Substitute the values into the formula. We have Z = 11 and S = 3.
Step 5: Calculate Z_eff by subtracting S from Z: Z_eff = 11 - 3.
Step 6: Perform the calculation: 11 - 3 = 8.
Step 7: Conclude that the effective nuclear charge (Z_eff) for a 3s electron in sodium is 8.
