lacrima97 - 15-2-2006 at 18:49
How is CuO formed, when Cu only has 1 electron (4s1) and oxygen needs to take 2 electrons in (2s2 2p4)?
To me it seems that Cu would have an oxidation number of +1, but I don't think that is the case. Is an electron donated from the 3d orbital? If so,
would the 3d10 become 3d9?
guy - 15-2-2006 at 21:07
It takes the electron from 4s and 3d. It CAN have an oxidation number of +1. The thing is that the 4s and 3d are basically degenerates (same energy)
so it can remove the electrons from 4s and 3d.
lacrima97 - 16-2-2006 at 05:48
Ohhhh. I didn't know that the 4s and 3d had the same energy...Well, I figured it must be something like that. Thanks for the help.