How are valence electrons special?

Answer 1

The closer the number of valence electrons is to the number required to completely fill or deplete its outer shell the more likely the atom is to react.

With other electrons in an atom the shells are full and they have little if any affect on the reactivity of an atom. Valence electrons are the only electrons that are available to be shared/transferred in a bond.

Answer 2

The closer the number of valence electrons is to the number required to completely fill or deplete its outer shell the more likely the atom is to react.

With other electrons in an atom the shells are full and they have little if any affect on the reactivity of an atom. Valence electrons are the only electrons that are available to be shared/transferred in a bond.

Answer 3

The common description is that they are part of a 'sea' of electrons. That is, the valence electrons aren't localised onto a single atom but move across a range of atoms. This explains many metal's ability to conduct electricity: seeing as the electrons aren't bound to a particular atom they can move across the surface, generating a current.

Answer 4

Valence electrons are the only electrons available to be gained or lost. How many electrons that are available determines which elements it will bond with and how. If there was one more valence electron in Na, then the formula for salt (NaCl) would have to be changed to NaCl2, in order to accommodate the extra electron.

Without knowing the number of valence electrons in an element, we couldn't predict which elements would bond, or even predict formulas.

Answer 5

Valence electrons allow for the conductivity of electricity,and are also free-roaming.

Answer 6

Valence electrons are still electrons they are only different because they are on the outer level of the electron cloud.