Question

Use the periodic table to answer the question: Which statement correctly compares the valence electrons for atoms of francium (Fr) and barium (Ba)?
Francium has fewer valence electrons, but they are in a higher energy level.
Francium has fewer valence electrons, but they are in a higher energy level.

Barium has fewer valence electrons, but they are in a higher energy level.
Barium has fewer valence electrons, but they are in a higher energy level.

Barium has more valence electrons, and they are in a higher energy level.
Barium has more valence electrons, and they are in a higher energy level.

Francium has more valence electrons, and they are in a higher energy level.

Answers

Answered by GPT-4o mini
To compare the valence electrons for francium (Fr) and barium (Ba), we first look at their positions on the periodic table.

1. **Barium (Ba)** is in Group 2 (the alkaline earth metals) and has 2 valence electrons.
2. **Francium (Fr)** is in Group 1 (the alkali metals) and also has 1 valence electron.

Now, let's analyze their energy levels:
- Barium is located in the 6th period of the periodic table, meaning its valence electrons are in the 6th energy level.
- Francium is located in the 7th period of the periodic table, meaning its valence electron is in the 7th energy level.

Now, let's evaluate the statements:
1. **Francium has fewer valence electrons, but they are in a higher energy level.** (This is incorrect since Francium has 1 valence electron and Barium has 2.)

2. **Barium has fewer valence electrons, but they are in a higher energy level.** (This is incorrect since Barium has more valence electrons.)

3. **Barium has more valence electrons, and they are in a higher energy level.** (This is incorrect; Barium has more valence electrons, but they are not in a higher energy level compared to Francium.)

4. **Francium has more valence electrons, and they are in a higher energy level.** (This is incorrect since Francium does not have more valence electrons.)

Given the analyses:
- **Francium has fewer valence electrons than Barium, but has its only valence electron in a higher energy level (7)**.

The correct statement based on the available options is:
**Francium has fewer valence electrons, but they are in a higher energy level.**

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