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Main group metals

Posted: Fri May 11, 2018 6:32 pm
by Anna De Schutter - 1A
Hi!

During class (Wednesday of week 5) we talked about main group metals and how they form cations by losing their s and p valence electrons. As a result, they adopt the electron configuration of the preceding inert-gas atom. I'm a bit confused, what does main group metals mean?

Moreover, Dr. Lavelle also showed a picture to illustrate how main group metals lose electrons when becoming cations (they go to the electron configuration of the inert-gas atom occurring before them). On that picture, I was a bit confused how elements from group III and IV become cations (especially Ga, In, Sn, Tl and Pb) because they have so many more electrons than the inert-gas atom that comes before them. How do I know how many electrons those elements lose?

Thank you! :)
Anna De Schutter - section 1A

Re: Main group metals

Posted: Sat May 12, 2018 10:55 am
by Tiffany Chen 1A
I think the main group metals are the metals in the s block and p block (metals in groups 1, 2, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18). For elements like Ga, In, Sn, Tl and Pb, I don't think they have to lose all of their electrons in their d orbital, because their valence electrons reside in only the s and p orbitals. For example, indium can lose 3 electrons (1 from the 5p orbital and 2 from the 5s orbital) and take on a +3 charge.
If you write out the electron configuration for In^3+ and Kr, they won't match exactly, but it makes more sense for In to have a +3 charge than a +13 charge.

Re: Main group metals

Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 2:11 pm
by Anna De Schutter - 1A
Thank you that helps a lot! :)