Author Question: What is the relationship of the chemical reactivity of the elements and its valence electrons? ? (Read 708 times)

shofmannx20

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 562
I have a report and I can't seem to get the pattern on it. I need to find the relationship of an element's valence electrons to its behavior and chemical reactivity. Why do elements in the same group behave similarly?



asan beg

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 570
Elements with 1/2 filled valence shells give or take electrons to make a complete outer shell these many form covalent (shared electrons) bonds because it requires too much energy to completely strip or add 4 electrons.

Elements with less than 1/2 filled valence shells release electrons as it becomes much more difficult to strip electrons to fill their valence shell.

Elements with more than 1/2 filled valence shells strip electrons from other atoms.

So as one moves to the left on the periodic chart, there are fewer electrons to release and the elements do so. It becomes more energetic to strip the 2nd and 3 electron.  As one moves to the right, fewer electrons need to be stripped from others and so the do so more easily. With lower nuclear charge, elements requiring more electrons find higher energetics in adding the to an alread negatively charged orbital system.

Elements with the same number of electrons in the valence shell behave more similarly to each other than they do to their neighbors who have more or fewer electrons. Thus the halogens behave similarly as do the alkaline earth elements.



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question
 

Did you know?

The term bacteria was devised in the 19th century by German biologist Ferdinand Cohn. He based it on the Greek word "bakterion" meaning a small rod or staff. Cohn is considered to be the father of modern bacteriology.

Did you know?

When blood is deoxygenated and flowing back to the heart through the veins, it is dark reddish-blue in color. Blood in the arteries that is oxygenated and flowing out to the body is bright red. Whereas arterial blood comes out in spurts, venous blood flows.

Did you know?

More than 150,000 Americans killed by cardiovascular disease are younger than the age of 65 years.

Did you know?

To maintain good kidney function, you should drink at least 3 quarts of water daily. Water dilutes urine and helps prevent concentrations of salts and minerals that can lead to kidney stone formation. Chronic dehydration is a major contributor to the development of kidney stones.

Did you know?

Although puberty usually occurs in the early teenage years, the world's youngest parents were two Chinese children who had their first baby when they were 8 and 9 years of age.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library