Problem: The hot glowing gases around the Sun, the corona, can reach millions of degrees Celsius, temperatures high enough to remove many electrons from gaseous atoms. Iron ions with charges as high as 14+ have been observed in the corona. Which ions from Fe+ to Fe14+ are paramagnetic? Which would be most strongly attracted to a magnetic field?

Recall that for:

• diamagnetic: all of the electrons are paired

• paramagnetic: at least one electron is unpaired

Neutral Iron (Fe):

• Atomic number = 26
• # of electrons = 26 e^-

Condensed electron configuration: (noble gas before Fe = [Ar])

Iron (Fe):        [Ar]4s²3d⁶

• cations - form when element loses electrons
  • remove e^-'s (same number as charge)  from the highest numbered/outermost orbital 
  • Fe⁺ to Fe⁶⁺ (4s first then 3d)

When filling up the orbitals, keep in mind:

Aufbau Principle → totally fill in the lowest energy orbital first

Hund’s Rule → electron orbitals that are degenerate (same energy orbital) are first half-filled before they are totally filled    

Recall that:

s           _                 1 orbital  → max. of 2 electrons

p           _ _ _              3 orbitals  → max. of 6 electrons 

d          _ _ _ _ _          5 orbitals → max. of 10 electrons