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Sodium has 11 protons and 11 electrons, because they are always equal. This means that in its innermost electron shell is full, having 2 electrons, and so is the next shell, with 8. 8+2=10, so there is one lonely electron in the outer valence shell. This means Sodium has a valence of 7, or it desires 7 electrons to complete its valence shell, because 8 (number the third shell can hold) - 1 (number actually in it) = 1. An electron with a completed valence shell is more stable than one without. This is why carbon is so versatile. Remember: the valence of an atom equals the number of protons the valence electron shell can hold minus the number actually in it.

Also, a little known fact about the Periodic Table...

Each row represents how many electron shells the element has. For instance, all elements in the third row have three shells.

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Q: How many outer energy level valence electrons does the sodium atom have?
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