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Choose the Best Answer · Q10

Q.The electronic configuration of Eu (Atomic no. 63), Gd (Atomic no. 64) and Tb (Atomic no. 65) are (NEET - Phase II)

(a) [Xe] 4f6^6 5d1^1 6s2^2, [Xe] 4f7^7 5d1^1 6s2^2 and [Xe] 4f8^8 5d1^1 6s2^2
(b) [Xe] 4f7^7 6s2^2, [Xe] 4f7^7 5d1^1 6s2^2 and [Xe] 4f9^9 6s2^2
(c) [Xe] 4f7^7 6s2^2, [Xe] 4f8^8 6s2^2 and [Xe] 4f8^8 5d1^1 6s2^2
(d) [Xe] 4f6^6 5d1^1 6s2^2, [Xe] 4f7^7 5d1^1 6s2^2 and [Xe] 4f9^9 6s2^2
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Step 1. A straightforward Aufbau-only prediction for the lanthanides Eu (63), Gd (64) and Tb (65) would suggest filling 4f progressively - but as with Cr and Cu, a half-filled or fully-filled f-subshell carries extra stability, which alters some of these configurations.

Step 2. Europium (Z = 63) achieves the extra-stable, exactly half-filled 4f74f^7 subshell: its real configuration is [Xe]4f7 6s2[\text{Xe}]4f^7\,6s^2 (not 4f6 5d1 6s24f^6\,5d^1\,6s^2).

Step 3. Gadolinium (Z = 64) keeps that stable 4f74f^7 core and adds one more electron into 5d rather than continuing to fill 4f (since an 8th f electron would break the stable half-filled arrangement): [Xe]4f7 5d1 6s2[\text{Xe}]4f^7\,5d^1\,6s^2. …

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