What element has the electron configuration [Xe] 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d⁹?

The electron configuration [Xe] 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d⁹ corresponds to the element Gold. Understanding how to derive the correct answer involves recognizing the arrangement of electrons in the atom's orbitals based on the periodic table and the principles of electron configuration.

In this configuration, [Xe] represents the core electrons which account for the electron configuration of Xenon, a noble gas. The 6s² indicates that there are two electrons in the 6s subshell. The 4f¹⁴ indicates a fully filled 4f subshell that contains 14 electrons. Finally, the 5d⁹ signifies that there are nine electrons in the 5d subshell.

Gold, which is part of the transition metals, is located in period 6 and is known to have a total of 79 electrons (atomic number 79). The electron configuration given accurately reflects the total number of electrons arranged in the required orbitals for Gold, confirming it as the correct answer for this configuration.

Understanding the positioning of transition metals in relation to their electron configurations further supports that the specified configuration corresponds to Gold rather than Silver, Copper, or Platinum, which have distinctly different configurations. For instance,