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Below: Electron Shell, Bonding & Ion Formation, Magnetic Properties, Electric Properties
Copper is the 29th element on the periodic table. It has 29 protons and 34 neutrons for a mass of 63.5 amu, and 29 electrons.
Electron Shell 
DISCLAIMER: This electron domain geometry is designed to show the most symmetrical resonance structure for the orbitals, according to the Quicycle model. This is not the only resonance structure possible for this element. (In this series we are also not differentiating between high-spin and low-spin states. These variations should be extrapolated from the geometries shown.)
Copper is the ninth element with electrons in the d–orbital. Building upon the pd-hybridization [ref] we introduced in regard to the previous d-block transition metals, it is proposed that copper features p3d5-hybridization. This enables a symmetrical, eight-directional cubic geometry with 8 di-electrons (see image below).
This pd-hybridization does not need to involve the 3s-orbital electrons, which can remain in their preferred spherical di-electron state. However, the standard electron configuration shown below illustrates that, in the same way as we saw with chromium, one electron from the 4s-orbital joins the 3rd shell hybridization. This model suggests that the reason for this is in order to achieve full 8-directional di-electron symmetry, and therefore lowest energy. (In the views below, this cube configuration is tilted to reveal that it is also a double-tetrahedral arrangement — two tetrahedra aligned antiparallel.)
The 3rd shell cubic di-electrons will arrange their double tetrahedra in such a way that minimizes repulsion with the 2nd shell di-electrons beneath (as depicted in the images below).
CLICK HERE to interact with this objectNOTE: The small spheres in the image above simply indicate the directions of maximum electron density. The 3rd shell hybrid orbitals themselves will form a cubic arrangement that divides the (cuboctahedral) shell into eight equal volumes. Each shell segment will be filled with electron density. It will be highest at the center of the face of each orbital (as in the traditional hybrid orbital lobe shapes) and will decrease toward the nodal regions between orbitals — as wave structures usually do — where electron density will be lowest (though not necessarily zero).
NOTE: Even though it is often useful to talk about these orbitals as separate, they are all — the entire atom is — part of a single, coherent, harmonic, resonant, phase-locked, spherically-symmetrical quantum wave state, and it is all electromagnetic at the root-energy level. Orbitals and their ‘boundaries’ can be seen as nothing more than nodes and antinodes in this harmonic wave structure.
NOTE: The model’s claim is not that an isolated atom always has a definite antinode location in the lab frame. It is that, conditional on one electron being found in a given orbital ‘antinode’ region or direction, the other electrons’ positions must correlated with it in a specific geometric pattern. This conditional-correlation structure is a body-frame feature: it describes the relative positions of electrons within the atom, not their absolute positions in the lab frame. It is the internal frame of reference in which the shell’s wave resonance condition closes and its standing-wave pattern is organized. For a free atom in an unprepared ensemble, all orientations are statistically equivalent so the observed density is typically an orientation average over body-frame orientations, which is observed in the lab frame to be spherically symmetrical.
As in the case of the previous (transition metal) elements, copper’s 3rd shell p3d5-hybrid orbitals exist within the added sheath of the 3s2-orbital di-electron, since it is not needed for hybridization. It is proposed that they are superimposed within it, as a harmonic frequency coincides with its fundamental frequency in a resonance. It is suggested that the 3s2 di-electron gives additional stability to the electron configuration within it. The other elements in the d-block will also experience this 3s-orbital stabilization phenomenon, since they achieve at least 4-directional symmetry with only their p– and d-orbitals.
Bonding & Ion Formation 
As mentioned above, a 4s1 electron shell completes the isolated neutral atom. This is because one of the valence electrons drops down into the 3rd shell hybridization, achieving 8-directional symmetry. (This occurs in a few other cases, for example chromium (Cr) and silver (Ag).)
Removing one electron from the atom gives the free-ion Cu+. When forming a metallic crystal, some of the 4s and 3d electron density delocalizes to form the metallic bond. In both cases, the core electron domain geometry remains the same.
According to this model, a second ionization would remove an electron from one of the 8 di-electrons. It would still retain 8-directional symmetry, but with one of the hybrid orbitals now containing an unpaired electron. It would therefore be expected that the Cu2+ ion would be strongly paramagnetic — due to its single and highly constricted/extended unpaired electron orbital. By way of example, CuCl2 has χm = +1,080. By contrast, the Cu+ ion should still be diamagnetic. By way of example, CuCl has χm = –40.
Magnetic Properties 
Copper is diamagnetic.
DIAMAGNETISM:
Diamagnetism occurs when a substance is repelled from a magnetic field because it contains di-electrons. These paired electrons are in a state of field cancellation with one another. The presence of an external magnetic field will disrupt the coherence of their di-electron states, raising energy. This causes the atom to repel away from the field in search of a lower energy state. Diamagnetic substances have negative magnetic susceptibility (χm) values.
Copper’s 3rd shell is full, with a symmetrical arrangement of 8 field-repelling di-electrons. This model would suggest that the diamagnetism of these di-electrons may make a meaningful contribution towards the magnetic susceptibility of χm = –5.46
Zinc, with a full 4s2 orbital, has an even lower magnetic susceptibility of χm = -9.15. This may imply that the contribution into the bulk/band structure of two electrons (with opposite spins) from each atom lowers magnetic susceptibility more than does a single electron from each atom, as in the case of copper.
MAGNETIC STRENGTH ANALYSIS:
The following diagram shows the relative paramagnetic and diamagnetic strengths of the transition metals, along with their proposed hybrid orbital geometries. (See Magnetism for more detail.)
The following video shows some of the remarkable effects of copper’s resisting the approach of a strong magnetic field. Watch as a strong magnet is passed quickly over or quickly towards a slab of copper.
Electrical Properties 
Copper is the second most electrically conductive metal after silver (Ag), and gold (Au) is third.
Not only are the three in the same group within the d-block, but they also have in common a valence s-orbital that has donated an electron inwards in order to perfect the symmetry of an inner cubic di-electron shell.
We might speculate that such an ‘activated,’ electron-deficient valence conduction band may actually promote the passage of electrical potential. It may simply offer less resistance to it (by having more unoccupied energy states in the band structure that are available to transmit electrons).
However, chromium also has a deficient 4s orbital, but its electrical conductivity is about 10 times smaller than those of the precious metals. We might further speculate that, what separates the three precious-metal good conductors from chromium is the nature of their core electron resonances. In the three precious metal elements, the inner orbitals are all completely filled with di-electrons, which are diamagnetic. We might speculate then that, upon this ‘non-interfering’ foundation, the single-valence-electron conduction band may support the transmission of electrical potential through the metallic crystal quite effectively. In the case of chromium, however, there are five unpaired electrons on the surface of every atomic core in the crystal. Their magnetic field and spin interactions might interfere with the electrons in the conduction band in such a way that diminishes conductivity, due to resistance. It is further conceivable that, given the ratio of electrons involved, it may decrease chromium’s conductivity to merely one tenth of the conductivity of copper and silver.
Credence for this conjecture might come from the fact that, even though chromium has a much lower electrical conductivity than copper, it nevertheless has a much higher conductivity than its immediate neighbors in the 3d-block — vanadium (V) and manganese (Mn) — which each have full valence 4s2-orbitals. (Though this fact is not conclusive on its own.)
PARAMAGNETIC 3d METALS: Scandium, Titanium, Vanadium, Chromium (also antiferromagnetic), Manganese
FERROMAGNETIC 3d METALS: Iron, Cobalt, Nickel
OTHER DIAMAGNETIC 3d METALS: Copper, Zinc
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