What is the ground-state electron configuration for the calcium ion, Ca²⁺? A)1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶ B)1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶3d² C)1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶4s² D)1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶4s²3d² E)1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶3d⁴

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ground-state electron configuration for the calcium ion (Ca^2+) reflects the loss of two electrons from neutral calcium (Ca), which has the configuration [Ar]4s^2. After losing two electrons, the configuration ends with the argon core, [Ar], equivalent to 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6.

What Is the Ground-State Electron Configuration for the Calcium Ion