Submitted by 321ECRAB123 t3_10jj283 in explainlikeimfive
breckenridgeback t1_j5ktnyp wrote
Reply to comment by 321ECRAB123 in Eli5: do noble gases really have full valence shells by 321ECRAB123
> I know this, im just wondering if d is a part of the valence shell of that energy level.
The 3d shell is on the same level as the 3s and 3p orbitals in a hydrogen atom, but in the larger atoms that actually fill the 3d shell in their ground state, it turns out that the 3d shell ends up much higher-energy than the 3s and 3p shells because of how it interacts with other electrons. It ends up with an energy between the 4s and 4p orbitals instead, so for the purposes of the periodic table, you can think of 3d as hanging out in the fourth "shell" instead.
ScienceIsSexy420 t1_j5l2z5v wrote
Which is why the transition metals start in the fourth period, but utilize the 3d orbital
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