The iron atom has 8 electrons in its outermost shell, according to its electronic configuration.
Here's a breakdown, utilizing information from the provided reference:
- The electronic configuration of iron reveals the presence of electrons in the 3d and 4s orbitals.
- The outermost shell consists of these orbitals.
- Specifically, these orbitals (3d and 4s) contain a total of 8 electrons, which are also referred to as valence electrons.
Therefore, iron's outer shell (valence shell) contains 8 electrons.
