To determine which elements are likely to form ions with multiple charges, we must consider their ability to lose different numbers of electrons to achieve stable electron configurations. The given electron configurations indicate how many electrons each element has and how they are arranged, which helps to predict their common ion charges.
1. Zinc (Zn) [Ar] 3d^{10} 4s^2:
- Zinc typically forms a [tex]\( \text{Zn}^{2+} \)[/tex] ion by losing the two 4s electrons, resulting in a stable configuration of [Ar] 3d^{10}. It does not commonly exhibit multiple oxidation states beyond [tex]\( \text{Zn}^{2+} \)[/tex].
2. Iron (Fe) [Ar] 3d^6 4s^2:
- Iron commonly forms ions with multiple charges. It can lose two 4s electrons to form [tex]\( \text{Fe}^{2+} \)[/tex] ([Ar] 3d^6), or two 4s and one 3d electron to form [tex]\( \text{Fe}^{3+} \)[/tex] ([Ar] 3d^5). Hence, iron can form both [tex]\( \text{Fe}^{2+} \)[/tex] and [tex]\( \text{Fe}^{3+} \)[/tex] ions.
3. Sodium (Na) [Ne] 3s^1:
- Sodium most commonly forms a [tex]\( \text{Na}^{+} \)[/tex] ion by losing its single 3s electron, resulting in a stable noble gas configuration of [Ne]. Sodium does not typically form ions with other charges.
4. Cobalt (Co) [Ar] 3d^7 4s^2:
- Cobalt can form ions with multiple charges. It can lose two 4s electrons to form [tex]\( \text{Co}^{2+} \)[/tex] ([Ar] 3d^7), or two 4s and one 3d electron to form [tex]\( \text{Co}^{3+} \)[/tex] ([Ar] 3d^6). Therefore, cobalt can form both [tex]\( \text{Co}^{2+} \)[/tex] and [tex]\( \text{Co}^{3+} \)[/tex] ions.
5. Silver (Ag) [Kr] 4d^{10} 5s^1:
- Silver typically forms a [tex]\( \text{Ag}^{+} \)[/tex] ion by losing its single 5s electron, resulting in a stable configuration of [Kr] 4d^{10}. Although less common, silver can also form [tex]\( \text{Ag}^{2+} \)[/tex] by losing an additional electron. However, [tex]\( \text{Ag}^{+} \)[/tex] is the more common oxidation state.
Based on the ability to form ions with multiple charges, the correct elements are:
- Iron (Fe)
- Cobalt (Co)
- Silver (Ag)
Therefore, the elements that can likely form ions with multiple charges are iron, cobalt, and silver.
