Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Terbium has atomic number 65. It forms a 3+ ion and also a 4+ ion. Find the number of 4f electrons in , its number of unpaired electrons, and its spin-only magnetic moment. Then find the number of unpaired electrons in .
The 3+ ion of a lanthanoid is with . Unpaired electrons: up to 7, then . Spin-only moment: . An empty, half-full or full 4f subshell (, , ) makes an ion unusually stable. That explains , , and . For a cell, with .
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. The 3+ ion. , so the ion is .
Step 2. Unpaired electrons. The first seven electrons occupy the seven f orbitals one each. The eighth pairs with one of them. So electrons stay unpaired.
Step 3. The moment. .
Step 4. The 4+ ion. Losing one more electron leaves . All seven are unpaired, and the subshell is half full.
Answer: electrons, unpaired electrons, , and unpaired electrons in .
Check. The half-full explains why terbium reaches +4. Gadolinium, one place before it, already has as the 3+ ion.
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