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QUESTION

# What is the full electron configuration for "Mg"^(2+)?

"Mg"^(2+): 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6

Your starting point for finding the of the magnesiu mcation, "Mg"^(2+), will be the electron configuration of the neutral magnesium atom, "Mg".

You know that magnesium is located in period 3, group 2 of , and that it has an equal to 12.

This means that a neutral magnesium atom will have a total of 12 protons in its nucleus and 12 electrons surrounding its nucleus. Its electron configuration would look like this

"Mg: " 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2

Now, when the magnesium cation is formed, two electrons, hence the 2+ charge of the cation, are lost by the magnesium atom.

These electrons, which are called , come from magnesium's outermost energy level. As you can see, magnesium has its outermost electrons located on the third energy level, n=3.

This means that when the cation is formed, its electron configuration will look like this

"Mg: " 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 color(red)(cancel(color(black)(3s^2))) implies "Mg"^(2+): 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6

Using , you will get

"Mg: " ["Ne"]color(red)(cancel(color(black)(3s^2))) implies "Mg"^(2+): ["Ne"]