Single electron

[danielruiz1G]

When there is a single electron left why isn't it just a cation to add another electron?Wouldn't it be more stable this way?

[Valeria Viera 1B]

Do you mean like a radical?

[danielruiz1G]

Yes, like if it is how is it made stable?

[Isabel Jabara 1C]

I believe radicals are not made stable.

[Michael Park]

Isabel is correct. Because of the unpaired electrons in the valence shell, radicals are generally unstable and very reactive.

[Kara Justeson 1B]

I think with how you're asking why it doesn't just become a cation, it's because a radical is still a neutral atom (it has no charge since the protons=neutrons). So if it gained or lost an electron, it would become an ion. So it needs the presence of another (or multiple) atoms to pair it's single electron or get rid of it which relates to why radicals are highly reactive.