What is the complete electron configuration of copper(I) ion?

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Answer 1 · 2018-02-24T08:27:25

#[Ar]3d^10# or #1s^2\2s^2\2p^6\3s^2\3p^6\3d^10#

A copper(I) ion is basically a copper ion with an oxidation state of #+1#, i.e. it will become #Cu^+#.

Copper has an electron configuration of #[Ar]3d^10\4s^1#.

That means, its full electron configuration will be

#1s^2\2s^2\2p^6\3s^2\3p^6\3d^10\4s^1#.

When it loses that #1# electron, it no longer needs the #4s# orbital, and therefore its electron configuration becomes

#1s^2\2s^2\2p^6\3s^2\3p^6\3d^10#.

We can also simplify that into just #[Ar]3d^10#.