Understanding the Electron Configuration of the Calcium Ion
When you ask what is the electron configuration of the calcium ion, you are asking how a neutral atom rearranges itself to achieve maximum stability. The calcium ion, commonly represented as Ca²⁺, has the electron configuration 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶. Unlike its neutral parent atom, which holds twenty electrons, the ion has lost two of them, resulting in a stable arrangement that matches the noble gas argon.
