How to Find the Number of Valence Electrons for Transition Metals

To find the number of valence electrons for Transition Metals we need to look at its electron configuration. This is necessary because for Transition Metals (d block elements) we need to take into account electrons found in the d orbitals.

Note the Transition Metals are found in Groups 3-14 on the Periodic Table and have incomplete d subshells (or form cations with incomplete subshells).

We first write the electron configuration for the Transition metal. For example for Fe, the electron configuration is:

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d6 4s2

Next, we convert this to the condensed configuration. For Fe we have:

[Ar] 3d6 4s2

This allows us to look at the number of electrons outside of the Noble Gas core. For Fe this means we have 8 valence electrons.

For transition metals, like Fe, not all of the valence electrons have to be used to form chemical bonds with other elements. Transition metals often have several oxidation states that depend on how many valance electrons are lost to the element(s) they are bonded to.

Helpful videos:

Drawing/writing done in InkScape. Screen capture done with Camtasia Studio 4.0. Done on a Dell Dimension laptop computer with a Wacom digital tablet (Bamboo).

[Nevaska]

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[TehDenizenz]

Struggled with this a bit in my class but this video helped clear up the topic for me. Thank you!

[ivythedazzlinggirl]

You don't understand how well you explain! Thank you sir

[hemrajpatil]

Dr. You are a real Doctor of chemistry 😭😭 solved all my problems in chemistry

[aaroncurci]

So funny I had a chem lecture today, I knew what we were going to learn, so instead of wasting my time In class I can just watch this YouTube video and learn the same thing I need to know for class from my room, awesome

[prathamtyagi]

Thank you so much Dr. B, I was struggling with topic for a week.

[weirdo]

I have my exam tmr and you’ve helped me more then my chem teacher ever could haha thank you!!

[andrewmathias]

Dr. B,

Your videos are helping me learn so well!! You are the best! Thank you so much for doing this. You are my hero!

Andrew

[heatheryousif]

Just wanted to write THANK YOU for explaining this in a simple easy way

[lightcapmath]

Another excellent video to clarify the number of possible valence electrons for the d-block elements. Many thanks Dr. B

[arbeeyamelo]

You help me a lot sir! Would you teach us organic chemistry soon?

[ariva]

Thank you but shouldn't the valence electrons be 2 for most transitional metals except for copper and chromium because they are just exceptions? Like, aren't valence electrons defined as the number of electrons in the outermost shell or energy level? So in both cases that you pointed out, the valence electrons were 2 because there were two electrons in the outermost shell: 4s2.

[beigomaacademymathsclub]

Dr, I find your videos highly useful. Keep up the great work.
I would like to watch the derivation of the Schrödinger equation.

[kalle]

4:00 should I write 9 valance electrons around the cobalt when I have lewis structure ? How can it be pls someone tell I can’t understand 😢

[professionalr]

Sir u made me teach better than my coaching teachers ..m

[Nectarie-RobertCiobotaru]

Keep up the good work, very comprehensive explanation.

[solerin]

can the last two electron configuration be always the basis for the number of their valence electrons?

[Slockmen]

wait so why is zinc 2 valence instead of 12 like your way would make it

[essraateah]

4:25 4d2 5s2, ,,why is it the opposite?

[SpACECdt]

Hi! Alright. But what about those few transition elements whose electron configuration don't follow Aufbau principle? (i.e. Au, Ag, Cu...). Thank you for the video!!:)