The electron configuration of Cd2+ is best described by which of the following?

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Correct Answer: B. [Kr] 4d10
Cadmium in it’s basic state has Configuration [Kr] 5s24d10. Positively charged cadmium (II) has lost 2 electrons. It will lose its two 5s-electrons first, making B the most reasonable answer. Answer A is illogical, as it has a higher shell number (5) for the d-electrons than the s-electrons (4). C is the correct configuration for neutral cadmium. Finally, D is incorrect because the d-electrons were removed rather than the s-electrons.
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