Question

how many valence electrons does aluminum (al) have available for bonding? 1 2 3 4

Explanation:

To determine the number of valence electrons in aluminum (Al), we first look at its electron configuration. The atomic number of aluminum is 13, so its electron configuration is \(1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^1\). Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell. For aluminum, the outermost shell is the 3rd shell, which has \(3s^2 3p^1\) electrons. Adding those together (\(2 + 1 = 3\)), we find that aluminum has 3 valence electrons available for bonding.

Answer:

3 (corresponding to the option "3")