How many valence electrons does zinc have?

Zinc (Zn) is an element with atomic number 30, which means it has 30 protons in its nucleus. In its neutral state, zinc also has 30 electrons distributed in various energy levels or shells. The electronic configuration of zinc is [Ar] 3d10 4s2.

To determine the number of valence electrons, we look at the outermost shell, which is the 4s orbital in the case of zinc. The 4s orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, so zinc has 2 valence electrons.

It's important to note that the 3d orbital, despite being of higher energy, is considered a lower principal quantum number (n) than the 4s orbital. Therefore, when determining valence electrons, the electrons in the 4s orbital are considered first.