Textbook 2A #5 A

[Abby Citro 2A]

Give the ground-state electron configuration expected for each of the following ions: (a) Cu +

For a, why is the ground state of Cu+ written as [Ar]3d^10 and not [Ar]3d^10 4s^2?

[Kaya L]

Copper with a positive charge means that it only has 28 electrons instead of 29. If copper had a negative charge, then the case you presented would be applicable, but that is uncommon.

[Benjamin Nguyen 1J]

The electron configuration for a regular Cu atom is [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s¹

The question is asking you to write the electron configuration for the copper (I) ion Cu+, meaning it has lost one electron.

Taking an electron out of the electron configuration for a regular Cu atom gives [Ar] 3d¹⁰

[Sevde Coban 2J]

Why can’t you just write the electron configuration for Cu+ as an atom with 28 electrons? Why is the configuration for Cu+ not [Ar] 4s2 3d8?