How does chlorine end up with 8 valence electrons?

Chlorine has seven valence electrons, so if it takes one it will have eight (an octet). Chlorine has the electron configuration of argon when it gains an electron. The octet rule could have been satisfied if chlorine gave up all seven of its valence electrons and sodium took them.

Does 8 valence electrons make an atom stable?

Atoms with 8 electrons in their valence shell have completely filled last orbitals and are therefore the most stable, as their electronic configuration is similar to that of the closest noble gas.

Why does the chlorine atom become a Cl ion does it gain or lose electrons?

It is now referred to as a sodium ion. Chlorine (Cl) in its lowest energy state (called the ground state) has seven electrons in its outer shell. Therefore, it tends to gain an electron to create an ion with 17 protons, 17 neutrons, and 18 electrons, giving it a net negative (–1) charge.

What does a chlorine atom have to do to become stable?

It is a pale green gas. Chlorine atoms have two electrons in the inner ring, then eight electrons in the second ring, then seven electrons in their outer ring. This means that they are not stable, but they only need to add one electron to the outer ring to fill it up, and then the chlorine atom will be stable.

Why does the octet rule not refer to a stable arrangement of 8 valence electrons?

Why does the octet rule not always refer to a stable arrangement of eight valence electrons? Diatomic elements have very high electron affinities. Being single atoms, they quickly form bonds with other elements around them. They are relatively stable only when in the diatomic state.

Why does the outermost shell have 8 electrons?

The maximum capacity of a shell to hold electrons is 8. The shells of an atom cannot accommodate more than 8 electrons, even if it has a capacity to accommodate more electrons. This is a very important rule called the Octet rule.

Why can an atom only have 8 valence electrons?

Some books and dictionaries define valence electrons as “electrons in the highest principal energy level”. By this definition an element would have only 8 valence electrons because the n−1 d orbitals fill after the n s orbitals, and then the n p orbitals fill.

What happens if an element has 8 valence electrons?

Atoms with 8 valence electrons (or 2, in the case of helium) are stable. They are unlikely to gain or lose electrons or to share electrons with other atoms. Noble gases do not react easily with other elements. Some don’t react at all.

How does a chlorine atom form a chloride ion Cl?

Chlorine, Cl It has seven electrons in its outer shell. It gains an electron from another atom in reactions, forming a chloride ion, Cl -.

In what respect does a chlorine atom differ from a chloride ion?

What is the difference between Chlorine Atom and Chloride Ion? Chloride ion is the reduced form of chlorine atom. Chloride has 18 electrons compared to seventeen electrons of chlorine, and both have seventeen protons. Therefore, chloride has a negative (-1) charge whereas chlorine is neutral.

When an atom loses electrons what does it become?

When an atom loses an electron, it becomes a cation, which is a type of ion. An ion is simply an atom or molecule that has a charge as a result of…

Why do chlorine atoms have a strong attraction for electrons?

Chlorine atoms are very electronegative. They need one more electron to have a completely filled electron shell and become stable so they tend to steal electrons from other atoms. Other electrons with similar electron configurations in the halogen family behave like chlorine; for example, fluorine and bromine.

How many valence electrons does an atom need to be stable?

Now for atoms having only 2 valence shell require 8 atoms for stability. This is because an s orbital can hold 2 electrons while a p orbital can hold 6 electrons in three orbitals of p subshell namely px, py and pz orbitals respectively. Hence an atom requires 8 electrons to be stable.

Why are electrons 8 in the valence shell?

Atoms with 8 electrons in their valence shell have completely filled last orbitals and are therefore the most stable, as their electronic configuration is similar to that of the closest noble gas. The number 8 is a lucky number, according to many Asian cultures.

Is an octet of valence electrons necessary for stable compounds?

Yes. While having an octet of valence electrons creates an exceptionally deep energy minimum for most atoms, it is only a minimum, not a fundamental requirement. If there are sufficiently strong compensating energy factors, even atoms that strongly prefer octets can form stable compounds with more (or less) than the 8 valence shell electrons.

What is a valence electron?

The valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost electron shell of an atom. That is why elements whose atoms have the same number of valence electrons are grouped together in the Periodic Table.