Calcium valence electrons

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Calcium valence electrons
Calcium valence electrons | Image: Learnool

Calcium, classified as an alkaline earth metal, holds 2 valence electrons. The valence electrons of calcium can be determined by referring to its position on the periodic table or by using its electron configuration.

Methods

Using periodic table

Periodic table | Image: Learnool

Get the periodic table having the chemical elements marked on it as mentioned above.

Now mark the location of calcium on the periodic table.

Calcium location marked on periodic table | Image: Learnool

Next, mark the group number of calcium on the periodic table.

Calcium group number marked on periodic table | Image: Learnool

The valence electrons of each main-group element can be determined by the column in which it is located.

(i.e., all group 1 elements have 1 valence electron, all group 2 elements have 2 valence electrons, skip the transition metals… then, all group 13 elements have 3 valence electrons, all group 14 elements have 4 valence electrons, and so on up to group 18 elements)

Since calcium is in group 2, it has 2 valence electrons.

Using electron configuration

  • First, write electron configuration of calcium

The electron configuration of calcium is [Ar] 4s2.

  • Second, find highest energy level in electron configuration
Green colored number represent highest energy level | Image: Learnool

In the above electron configuration, the highest energy level (4) is marked with green color.

  • Finally, count electrons of that energy level
Number circled with green color represent electrons | Image: Learnool

The 4th energy level contains 4s subshell and it has 2 electrons. So calcium has a total of 2 valence electrons.

Next: Rubidium valence electrons

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Learnool.com was founded by Deep Rana, who is a mechanical engineer by profession and a blogger by passion. He has a good conceptual knowledge on different educational topics and he provides the same on this website. He loves to learn something new everyday and believes that the best utilization of free time is developing a new skill.

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