Question

How can we find the number of unpaired electrons in a given element?

Answer 1

The number of unpaired electrons in a compound is determined by its electronic configuration.

• To determine the number of unpaired electrons in a compound first we should determine the electronic configuration of the compound.
• Then we have to arrange the electrons in the shells and determine the number of unpaired electrons.
• For example, Mg has an electronic configuration
• $1s^{2}2s^{2}2p^{6}3s^2$
• The arrangement of electrons in the shell is as in the image.
• Thus it has zero unpaired electrons.
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