What element is described by the electron configuration [Xe] 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴?

The electron configuration [Xe] 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴ corresponds to the element Molybdenum (Mo), which is characterized by a specific arrangement of electrons in its atomic structure. To break this down, the notation begins with [Xe], indicating that the configuration includes all the electrons in the xenon core, which has a complete valence shell.

Following that, the 6s² indicates that there are two electrons in the 6s subshell, which is filled according to the Aufbau principle, where electrons populate the lowest available energy levels first. The 4f¹⁴ notation shows that the 4f subshell is completely filled with 14 electrons. Lastly, the 5d⁴ indicates that there are four electrons in the 5d subshell.

Evaluating the given electron configuration leads us to the element Technetium (Tc), which is in the fifth period and is known for its properties, as it falls under the transition metals in the periodic table. This placement is essential to identify various chemical behaviors and characteristics of the element.

The other elements listed, such as Tantalum, Tungsten, Rhenium, and Osmium, possess different electron