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I'm guessing this means why only eight electrons. An atoms outermost orbit of electrons is called its valence. An atoms valence determines how reactive an element can be. There can actually be a lot more than 8 electrons in an atoms valence. There are 4 types of orbitals s,p,d,f. They contain 1,3,5, and 7 orbitals respectively. Each orbital can hold 2 electrons. There is specific sequence of electron filling order to know where they are placed in the orbitals. That's another story.

One trend that all noble gases have is that all the orbitals in their valence are filled. They are the most stable formations on the Periodic Table making them very unreactive. This question is unclear

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An atom is stable when its outermost orbit is?

An atom is stable when its outermost orbit, or valence shell, is complete with the maximum number of electrons it can hold according to the octet rule. This typically means having eight electrons for most elements, except for hydrogen and helium which only need two electrons in their outer shell to be stable.


What is the optimum number of electrons for phosphorous to possess in its outermost closed shell?

The optimum number of electrons in the outermost valence shell for phosphorus atoms is eight, known as an octet. Unbonded phosphorus atoms have 5 valence electrons and undergo chemical bonding in order to gain the other 3, either by covalent bonding or by ionic bonding.


What is the most stable outer orbital arrangement of electrons after a chemical reaction?

The most stable outer orbital arrangement of electrons after a chemical reaction is typically achieved when the atom has a full outer shell of electrons, usually eight electrons (except for hydrogen and helium, which have a full outer shell with two electrons). This configuration is known as the octet rule and is associated with greater stability due to a lower energy state.


Noble gases have a set of eight outermost electrons which forms what?

Noble gases have a set of eight outermost electrons, which forms a stable electron configuration known as an octet. This full outer shell makes noble gases highly stable and unreactive under normal conditions.


Is an element with eight valence electrons chemically unstable?

An element with eight valence electrons is typically chemically stable, as this configuration corresponds to a full outer shell according to the octet rule. Elements with a full valence shell, such as the noble gases, are generally inert and do not readily participate in chemical reactions. However, under specific conditions or in certain compounds, even these stable elements can exhibit reactivity.

Related Questions

An atom is stable when its outermost orbit is?

An atom is stable when its outermost orbit, or valence shell, is complete with the maximum number of electrons it can hold according to the octet rule. This typically means having eight electrons for most elements, except for hydrogen and helium which only need two electrons in their outer shell to be stable.


How many electrons normally does it take to make an atom chemically stable what is the exception to this rule?

The number of electrons must be eight.


An atom is stable when it?

An atom is stable when the number of protons equals the number of electrons, creating a balanced electrical charge. Additionally, stable atoms have filled outer electron shells that follow the octet rule, meaning they have eight electrons in their outermost shell.


When an atom has eight valence electrons it has a stable arrangement called what?

stable electronic configuration


Does sn gain or lose electrons?

Sulfur typically gains electrons to form a stable electron configuration. It can gain up to two electrons to achieve a full valence shell of eight electrons.


How many electrons do phosphorus borrow?

Phosphorus typically borrows three electrons to achieve a full outer shell of eight electrons. This allows phosphorus to reach a stable electron configuration similar to the noble gas neon.


Do Boron gain or lose electrons?

Boron typically loses electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration. It has three valence electrons in its outer shell, and by losing these three electrons, it can attain a full outer shell with eight electrons. This results in a +3 oxidation state for boron, as it loses three electrons to become more stable.


How many electrons are called are needed in the outer energy level of most atoms for the atom to be stable?

Most atoms are stable when they have a full outer energy level, which typically consists of 8 electrons. This is known as the octet rule. However, some smaller atoms, such as hydrogen and helium, are stable with only 2 electrons in their outer energy level.


What characteristic of any single atom determines the number of covalent bonds that it can form?

The number of valence electrons in an atom determines the number of covalent bonds it can form. Atoms tend to fill their valence shell by sharing or gaining electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration. Typically, atoms will form covalent bonds to complete their valence shell with eight electrons (octet rule), which dictates the number of bonds that can be formed.


What does it mean if an element has 8 electrons?

it has a full octet


Is the most atom more or less stable when they have eight valence electrons true or false?

less stable


What is the name when atoms have eight valence electrons in order to be stable?

Atoms with eight valence electrons are said to have achieved an octet configuration, which is associated with stability due to fulfilling the "octet rule." This stable configuration is typically found in noble gases and is sought after by other elements through bonding and sharing electrons.