Period to which Mercury belongs is

Options

A. 7th
B. 4th
C. 6th
D. 3rd

Answer

To determine the period to which Mercury belongs, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Element**: Mercury is represented by the symbol Hg and has an atomic number of 80.

2. **Determine the Electronic Configuration**: The electronic configuration of Mercury is:
\[ \text{Hg: } [Xe] 4f^{14} 5d^{10} 6s^2 \]
Here, [Xe] represents the electron configuration of Xenon, which is the noble gas preceding Mercury.

3. **Identify the Valence Electrons**: The valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell. In the case of Mercury, the outermost shell is the 6th shell, which contains:
- 2 electrons in the 6s subshell.

4. **Determine the Principal Quantum Number**: The principal quantum number (n) corresponds to the energy level of the valence electrons. For Mercury, the valence electrons are in the 6th shell, so the principal quantum number is:
\[ n = 6 \]

5. **Determine the Period**: The period of an element in the periodic table is defined by the principal quantum number of its valence electrons. Since Mercury has a principal quantum number of 6, it belongs to the:
\[ \text{6th period of the periodic table.} \]

6. **Select the Correct Option**: From the options provided (7, 4, 6, 3), the correct answer is:
\[ \text{Option C: 6} \]

### Final Answer:
Mercury belongs to the **6th period** of the periodic table.

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