1. Electron Configuration:

* Germanium (Ge) has an atomic number of 32, meaning it has 32 electrons.

* Its electron configuration is: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p²

2. Core Electrons:

* Core electrons are the electrons in the inner shells of an atom. They are not involved in chemical bonding.

* Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell and are involved in bonding.

3. Identifying Core Electrons:

* In germanium's electron configuration, the core electrons are found in the 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, and 3p orbitals.

* Core Electrons: 2 + 2 + 6 + 2 + 6 = 18

Therefore, there are 18 core electrons in germanium.