Question

How many unpaired electrons would you expect on aluminum in aluminum oxide.?

Answer 1

The electronic structure of aluminium is: 1s22s22p63s23p1. There are 3 electrons in the outer n = 3 level and so these are the valence electrons. The number of unpaired electrons that you would expect on aluminum would be three and this is what bonds with the oxide ion in aluminum oxide. Hope this answers the question.

Answer 2

Answer: There are 3 unpaired electrons on aluminium in aluminium oxide.    

Explanation:

Chemical formula of aluminium oxide is $Al_{2}O_{3}$.

The atomic number of aluminium is 13 and its electronic configuration is $1s^{2}2s^{2}2p^{6}3s^{2}3p^{1}$. In order to complete its octet, aluminium will lose or donate 3 electrons to the oxygen atom as it has 3 electrons in excess.

Thus, there are three unpaired electrons on one aluminium atom.

Since, there are two aluminium atoms in $Al_{2}O_{3}$, so, there will be in total 6 unpaired electrons on two aluminium atoms. Whereas each oxygen atom has deficiency of 2 electrons so, each aluminium atom will donate its excess of electrons to each oxygen atom.