Which of the following ions has the highest magnetic moment? (2023)

1 question

1 item

Q: Which of the following ions has the highest magnetic moment? (2023)

Solution: Fe²⁺ has the highest magnetic moment due to its higher number of unpaired electrons compared to Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Cu²⁺.

Steps: 9

Step 1: Understand what a magnetic moment is. It is a measure of the strength and direction of a magnetic source, often related to the number of unpaired electrons in an ion.
Step 2: Identify the ions in the question: Fe²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Cu²⁺.
Step 3: Determine the electron configuration for each ion to find the number of unpaired electrons.
Step 4: For Fe²⁺ (Iron), the electron configuration is [Ar] 3d6. It has 4 unpaired electrons.
Step 5: For Co²⁺ (Cobalt), the electron configuration is [Ar] 3d7. It has 3 unpaired electrons.
Step 6: For Ni²⁺ (Nickel), the electron configuration is [Ar] 3d8. It has 2 unpaired electrons.
Step 7: For Cu²⁺ (Copper), the electron configuration is [Ar] 3d9. It has 1 unpaired electron.
Step 8: Compare the number of unpaired electrons: Fe²⁺ has 4, Co²⁺ has 3, Ni²⁺ has 2, and Cu²⁺ has 1.
Step 9: Conclude that Fe²⁺ has the highest number of unpaired electrons, and therefore the highest magnetic moment.