Transition Metal Electrons

[Natalie Do 3F]

On some of the homework questions it asks to give how many valence electrons including d electrons for transition metals and the answer is the period number. However, when I looked it up it said transition metals theoretically have two valence electrons. Can someone explain this?

[305572629]

Don't worry about the transition metals as much, for now. There are a lot of exceptions and we are mainly focusing on the s and p shells when looking at bonding for right now.

[Tanya Nguyen 1B]

I believe that transition metals can only have 2 valence electrons is because the s-block has higher energy than the d-block and "s" can only hold 2 electrons, so all transition metals only have 2 valence electrons.

[YUNALEE]

If it helps, put it in the order of the n number. For example you would put 3d before 4s!
And always try to half fill or full fill the d orbitals

[Xiang Li 2F]

Whether the atom is a transition metal is not that important when you discuss valence electrons! All you need to care about is the number followed after the atom, such as the (II) after Cu (II), and that determines its no. of valence electrons.