Question

Copper forms two chlorides $CuCl$ and $Cu{Cl}_2$.
(a) Identify the copper ions in these compounds?
(b) What is the valency of copper in each of these compounds?
(c) By writing the sub-shell electronic configuration of copper, find out a sub-shells from which the electrons are lost to form these ions.
(d) Write the period and group to which copper belongs.
(Hint: Atomic number of copper $=29$)

Answer 1

(a) The copper ions in these compounds are as follows:
$CuCl-{Cu}^{+}$
$Cu{Cl}_2-{Cu}^{2+}$
(b) In $CuCl$, the valency of copper is $1$.
In $Cu{Cl}_2$, the valency of copper is $2$.
(c) Electronic configuration of ${}_{29}Cu-1s^{2}2s^{2}2p^{6}3s^{2}3p^{6}3d^{10}4s^1$.
$CuCl$- An electron is lost from $4s$ orbital.
The electronic configuration of ${Cu}^{2+}$ is $1s^{2}2s^{2}2p^{6}3s^{2}3p^{6}3d^9$.
$Cu{Cl}_2$- One electron is lost from $4s$ orbital and the other electron is lost from $3d$ orbital.
(d) The period and group to which copper belongs is as follows:
Period $=4$
Group $=11$