VALENCE ELECTRONS [ENDORSED]

[april_bussey_1C]

Hi all, I'm still having a hard time understanding how to know how many valence electrons a specific element has. Can anyone help me out?

[404975170]

You just look at the periodic table and count what position the element is in in the row (excluding d block). For example: Oxygen has 6 valence electrons and Flourine has 7 and Carbon has 4 valence electrons.

[Isobel Tweedt 1E]

Look at the group of the periodic table that the element is in. For example, Carbon is in group 4 and has 4 valence electrons.

[Tiffany Tufenkjian 1E]

I count the columns of the s and p block. For example, in row 2 Li=1 valence electron, BE=2, B=3, C=4, N=5, O=6, F=7, Ne=8.

[Isobel Tweedt 1E]

How do valence electrons influence Lewis structures? Are they represented in any particular way?

[Chem_Mod]

The electrons you draw in Lewis structures are valence electrons.

[fara valdez]

Yes, you have to use the number of valence electrons in order to conduct your Lewis dot diagrams.

[Jennifer 1G]

You can tell how many valence electrons there are by checking on the vertical line the element is on. For example, Hydrogen has 1 valence electron and Oxygen has 6.

[Rebekah Kaufman 1L]

You just look at the periodic table and count what position the element is in in the row (excluding d block). For example: Oxygen has 6 valence electrons and Flourine has 7 and Carbon has 4 valence electrons.

Why is the d block excluded when counting valence electrons?

[Jennifer 1G]

You can tell how many valence electrons there are by checking on the vertical line the element is on. For example, Hydrogen has 1 valence electron and Oxygen has 6.

As part of my previous post- According to google, Helium has two valence electrons, so this pattern may not always work. Why is helium located there and are there any other exceptions? Thank you!

[Jennifer 1G]

You can tell how many valence electrons there are by checking on the vertical line the element is on. For example, Hydrogen has 1 valence electron and Oxygen has 6.

As part of my previous post, according to google, Helium has two valence electrons, so this pattern may not always work. Why is helium located there and are there any other exceptions? Thank you!

[Nandhini_2K]

The number of valence electrons for each group.

[Ziana Bhanji 1E]

I find it easy to just look at the group that the element is in. This video provides a helpful explanation
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/che ... -electrons

[breannasung_1K]

knowing that the first shell is occupied by 2 electrons, i subtract 2 from the atomic number, which tells how many electrons an atom has. All the elements in a column have the same number of valence electrons.

[nelquosey]

I like to use the group numbers and subtract 10 as we approach the non-metals.

[Haison Nguyen 1I]

You look at the group numbers or the rows of each element. However, I skip the d-block so where Boron is at would be group 3. For hydrogen, since it is in group 1, it has one valence electron. For another element like carbon, since it is group 4, it would have 4 valence electrons.

[Chem_Mod]

Just look at the "pillars" of the periodic table (meaning exclude the d block). The column they are in indicates the number of valence electrons. Helium is a special exception (and the only one). It only has 2 valence electrons, and this is because A) it only has two electrons to begin with, and B) it's extremely stable because its outermost shell is full. 1s² is it's electron configuration, which you will understand better later in the course.