How many electrons are predicted to be in the 4p orbital of a bromine Br atom?

The 4p orbital of a bromine (Br) atom is predicted to contain a total of 5 electrons.

Bromine has an atomic number of 35, which means it has 35 electrons when neutral. The electron configuration of bromine is:

  • 1s2
  • 2s2
  • 2p6
  • 3s2
  • 3p6
  • 4s2
  • 3d10
  • 4p5

From this configuration, you can observe that after filling the 4s and 3d orbitals, the 4p orbital begins to fill with 5 electrons. The maximum capacity of any p orbital is 6 electrons, but since bromine has 5 in the 4p orbital, we know it is just short of full. This is crucial in understanding its chemical behavior and how it bonds with other elements.

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