What is the principal quantum number for the outermost electrons in a potassium

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Question: What is the principal quantum number for the outermost electrons in a potassium atom?

Options:

Correct Answer: 3

Solution:

Potassium (K) has an atomic number of 19, and its outermost electrons are in the n=4 level.

What is the principal quantum number for the outermost electrons in a potassium atom?

What is the principal quantum number for the outermost electrons in a potassium atom?

Step 1: Identify the atomic number of potassium (K), which is 19.
Step 2: Understand that the atomic number tells us the number of electrons in a neutral atom, so potassium has 19 electrons.
Step 3: Determine the electron configuration of potassium. The configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s¹.
Step 4: Look at the highest energy level (n) in the electron configuration. The outermost electrons are in the 4s subshell.
Step 5: Identify the principal quantum number (n) for the outermost electrons, which is 4.

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