Which statement correctly compares the valence electrons for atoms of francium (Fr) and barium (Ba)?(1 point)ResponsesBarium 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.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.Francium 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.Barium has more valence electrons, and they are in a higher energy level.

1 answer

To compare the valence electrons of francium (Fr) and barium (Ba), we first need to look at their electronic configurations:

  • Barium (Ba) has an atomic number of 56 and is located in group 2 of the periodic table, which means it has 2 valence electrons in its outermost shell (the 6s orbital). The electron configuration for barium is [Xe] 6s².

  • Francium (Fr) has an atomic number of 87 and is located in group 1 of the periodic table, which means it has 1 valence electron in its outermost shell (the 7s orbital). The electron configuration for francium is [Rn] 7s¹.

Based on the information:

  • Francium has fewer valence electrons (1) compared to barium (2).
  • Francium's valence electron is in a higher energy level (7s) compared to barium's valence electrons (6s).

Thus, the correct statement is: Francium has fewer valence electrons, but they are in a higher energy level.