Question

Element Fe

Build an atom

Answer 1

To build an atom of iron (Fe), you need to consider its atomic structure, which consists of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Here's how the atom of iron is typically structured:

1. **Atomic Number**: Iron has an atomic number of 26. This means it has 26 protons in its nucleus.

2. **Neutrons**: The most common isotope of iron is iron-56. This isotope has 30 neutrons (56 - 26 = 30).

3. **Electrons**: In a neutral atom of iron, the number of electrons equals the number of protons. Therefore, iron has 26 electrons.

4. **Electron Configuration**: Iron’s electron configuration is:
\[
1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^6
\]
This means:
- The first shell has 2 electrons (1s).
- The second shell has 8 electrons (2s and 2p).
- The third shell can hold up to 18 electrons, but in iron, it has 8 electrons (3s and 3p) paired with 6 in the 3d subshell.
- The fourth shell has 2 electrons (4s).

5. **Structure**:
- **Nucleus**: Contains 26 protons and 30 neutrons.
- **Electron Cloud**: 26 electrons are arranged in shells around the nucleus.

### Summary of an Iron Atom:
- Protons: 26
- Neutrons: 30
- Electrons: 26
- Electron Configuration: \(1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^6\)

This creates the basic structure of a typical iron (Fe) atom.