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It'll have to lose two to have a stable octet.

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12y ago

Magnesium would have to lose 2 electrons to have a complete octet on the outer shell and become stable.

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Q: How many electrons would an atom of magnesium have to lose to have a stable octe?
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What element has 12 electrons 12 protons and 14 neutrons?

This would be magnesium, based on the number of protons. Since the protons is equal to the number of electrons it is a neutral atom. Given the number of protons in the atom, the isotope would be magnesium-26.


How many electrons does Magnesium need to complete the last shell?

A magnesium atom would need 6 electrons to complete its highest occupied electron shell. In practice, a magnesium atom almost never does this, because the energy required would be too great. Instead, the magnesium atom transfers 2 electrons to one or more atom that are more electronegative than magnesium and thereby forms a magnesium ion with an electrical charge of +2. In this ion, the highest occupied shell of a magnesium atom is completely empty of electrons.


What is the electron configuration of 12 electrons?

An atom with 12 electrons, such as a neutral magnesium atom, will contain 2 electrons in its first energy level, 8 electrons in its second energy level, and 2 electrons in its third energy level. The electron configuration table for magnesium would look like this: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 For the atom of magnesium to become "stable," it would have to lose those two valence electrons in its outermost shell by forming an ionic bond with another atom, thus becoming a magnesium ion with a -2 charge, written as Mg-2.


How many electrons will a neutral atom have when it has 12 protons?

12; and that would be a magnesium atom.


How can a mg atom bond with an o atom?

Mg or magnesium has 2 electrons in its outer shell. O or oxygen is 2 electrons short of a full shell. The oxygen takes up the magnesium's spare electrons and gets a full outer shell and a charge of 2- (cos of the extra electrons). The magnesium gets a full outer shell cos it lost the spare 2 and gets a charge of 2+ (cos it lost 2 electrons that were balancing out the protons in the nucleus).So, one atom completely donates electrons to another atom. That's ionic bonding.

Related questions

How many electrons does a magnesium atom need to lose to become stable?

2


Is an atom with six electrons more stable than an atom with one?

No. A atom is stable when it has a full valence shell. The way this works is (2,8,8,8...) For an example magnesium which has 12 electrons. Magnesium loses 2 electrons ( so it has 2, 8 and then has a full outer shell) to gain a full outer charge which results in a charge of 2+.


A magnesium atom has 12 electrons. When it reacts it usually loses 2 electrons. How does this loss make magnesium more stable?

Losing 2 electrons gives it 10 - which is the same electron configuration as the noble (and extremely stable) gas Neon.


What element has 12 electrons 12 protons and 14 neutrons?

This would be magnesium, based on the number of protons. Since the protons is equal to the number of electrons it is a neutral atom. Given the number of protons in the atom, the isotope would be magnesium-26.


How can a magnesium atom bond with oxygen atom?

The magnesium has 2 valence electron while the oxygen misses 2 electron to complete its octet. An atom is always more stable when it has 8 valence electrons. The magnesium will create an ionic bond with the oxygen by giving its 2 electrons to form Magnesium Oxide, MgO.


How man electrons does a magnesium atom contain?

Neutral atom of magnesium has 12 electrons.


How many electrons does Magnesium need to complete the last shell?

A magnesium atom would need 6 electrons to complete its highest occupied electron shell. In practice, a magnesium atom almost never does this, because the energy required would be too great. Instead, the magnesium atom transfers 2 electrons to one or more atom that are more electronegative than magnesium and thereby forms a magnesium ion with an electrical charge of +2. In this ion, the highest occupied shell of a magnesium atom is completely empty of electrons.


What is the electron configuration of 12 electrons?

An atom with 12 electrons, such as a neutral magnesium atom, will contain 2 electrons in its first energy level, 8 electrons in its second energy level, and 2 electrons in its third energy level. The electron configuration table for magnesium would look like this: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 For the atom of magnesium to become "stable," it would have to lose those two valence electrons in its outermost shell by forming an ionic bond with another atom, thus becoming a magnesium ion with a -2 charge, written as Mg-2.


How many electrons will a neutral atom have when it has 12 protons?

12; and that would be a magnesium atom.


If a neutral atom has 12 electrons how many can be used for creating bonds?

It an atom has 12 electrons and is neutral, then it must be Mg (magnesium), and magnesium has 2 valence electrons which would be used in bonding.


How many electrons does a stable sodium atom have?

A stable sodium atom has 11 electrons.


A magnesium atom is converted to a magnesium ion when the atom?

Loses two electrons.