How do you determine the number of electrons needed to fill the outer shell of an element?
1 Answer
Dec 25, 2017
Explanation:
The number of valence electrons needed to fill its shell can be determined by inputting the shell level, n, squaring it, and by multiplying by 2.
- Shell 1 holds 2 valence
#e^-# .
#2(1^2)=2# - Shell 2 = 8
#2(2^2)=8# - Shell 3 = 18
#2(3^2)=18# - Shell 4 = 32
#2(4^2)=32# - Shell 5 = 50
#2(5^2)=50#
You can decide whether you want to memorize the sequence in which each level can hold, "2, 8, 18, 32, 50, etc.," or you can remember this simple function of
