Question

The value of magnetic quantum number of the outermost electron of $\text{Zn}^+$ ion is ________. (Integer answer)

Hint:

Always remember that transition metals lose electrons from the $ns$ orbital {before} the $(n-1)d$ orbital during ionization, even though $ns$ is lower in energy during filling.

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 0

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The quantum numbers describe the position and energy of an electron. The magnetic quantum number ($m_l$) is determined by the azimuthal quantum number ($l$). For an $s$-orbital ($l = 0$), the only possible value for $m_l$ is 0.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
1. The atomic number of Zinc ($\text{Zn}$) is 30.
2. The ground-state electronic configuration of $\text{Zn}$ is: $[\text{Ar}] 3d^{10} 4s^2$.
3. To form the $\text{Zn}^+$ ion, one electron is removed from the outermost shell ($n=4$).
4. The configuration of $\text{Zn}^+$ is: $[\text{Ar}] 3d^{10} 4s^1$.
5. The outermost electron is located in the $4s$ orbital.
6. For the $4s$ orbital:
- Principal quantum number $n = 4$
- Azimuthal quantum number $l = 0$ (for $s$-orbital)
- Magnetic quantum number $m_l = 0$ (since $m_l$ ranges from $-l$ to $+l$)
Step 3: Final Answer:
The magnetic quantum number is 0.