Energy levels
Alkaline metals
A covalent structure is when two atoms share an electron to gain a fuller outer electron shell
Californium has seven electron shells ; the outer shell has two electrons.
In a covalently bonded molecule, atoms are bonded by the sharing of their electrons. When Oxygen combines with two Hydrogen, H2O is formed by two covalent bonds. Oxygen, which has 6 outer electrons, needs to gain two electrons to form a completely stable octet of electrons. Each of the Hydrogen atoms requires a single electron to complete its outer level of electrons. The resulting molecule is a angularly bonded molecule of water with two double covalent bonds: O <- oxygen shares 1 electron with each hydrogen atom // \\ <-double covalent bond H H They overlap
Sharing of electrons in the outer energy level of two atoms results in a covalent bond.
In a water molecule, oxygen shares electrons with hydrogen atoms to form covalent bonds. Oxygen has 6 electrons in its outermost energy level, while hydrogen has 1 electron in its outermost energy level. Oxygen shares one electron with each of the two hydrogen atoms, forming two covalent bonds.
Calcium atoms have two electrons in the s orbital of their outermost energy level. Their electron configuration is [Ar]4s2.
Atoms with fewer than 8 valence electrons can fill their outermost energy level by forming chemical bonds with other atoms. For example, magnesium can lose 2 electrons to achieve a full outer energy level, becoming a +2 cation. Conversely, sulfur can gain 2 electrons to fill its outer energy level, becoming a -2 anion. Both processes result in stable, filled outer energy levels for the atoms involved.
Helium (He) and Neon (Ne) will both have their outer energy level filled with 2 electrons.
Alkali earth metals have 2 electrons in their outer energy level. This outer level is known as the valence shell, and having 2 electrons makes these metals highly reactive and likely to form ionic bonds to achieve a full outer shell of 8 electrons.
The key to "happiness" for an atom is a full outer electron shell. (The outer electron shell is called the valence shell.) There are two conditions that cause a shell not to be full. Either it has only an electron or two (or three) in the outer electron shell or it's short an electron or two in that outer shell. The direct answer to the question is that if an element is chemically active, its outer electron shell is incomplete or is not full.
Two chlorine atoms can bond together to form Cl2 because each chlorine atom has seven valence electrons and needs one more electron to complete its outer electron shell. By sharing one electron each, the atoms can achieve a stable electron configuration with a full outer shell, forming a single covalent bond between them.