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The octet rule is a simple rule of thumb that states that atoms tend to combine in such a way that they each have eight electrons in their valence shells, giving them the same electron configuration as a noble gas. The rule is applicable to the main-group elements. In simple terms, molecules or ions tend to be most stable when the outermost electron shells of their constituent atoms contain eight electrons .

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15y ago
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6mo ago

A stable octet configuration is thought to be stable because it represents a full outer shell of electrons, which makes the atom or molecule less likely to react with other substances in order to achieve a full outer shell. This stability is based on the principle that atoms tend to be more energetically favorable when they have a complete set of eight electrons in their outermost energy levels.

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16y ago

all stoms strive for an octet configuration, many will react with each other , losing,gaining,or sharing electrons just to achieve this stable state. because of the 8 eclectrons present in the outer valence shell, it is unreactive as it does not need any more electrons since it already has 8.

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15y ago

The octet rule is a simple rule of thumb that states that atoms tend to combine in such a way that they each have eight electrons in their valence shells, giving them the same electron configuration as a noble gas.

The rule is applicable to the main-group elements. In simple terms, molecules or ions tend to be most stable when the outermost electron shells of their constituent atoms contain eight electrons.

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9y ago

the octet rule is a concept of chemical bondig theory that is based on the assumption that atoms tend to have either empty valance shells or full valance shells of eight electronsThe octet rule influences chemical reactivity by regulating electron configuration. Elements must have full outer electron orbitals, other they will gain or lose electrons as a means to obtain a noble gas electron configuration.

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13y ago

Generally an atom will be in its most stable form when there are 8 electrons in its valence shell. An atom can either lose electrons to become positively charged (cation) or gain electrons to become negatively charged (anion) in order to achieve 8 total valence electrons in ionic bonding. Na will lose one electrons, thus having the electron configuration of Ne, which has a stable octet. This in turn gives Na a positive charge. In the same way Ca will lose two electrons to become Ca 2+. However, elements such as halogens will gain electrons. F will gain one electron to have 8 valence electrons, and will have a 1- charge, and O will become O 2-.

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14y ago

8 is great so the elements try to obtain 8 valence electrons by either gaining electrons or losing electrons o have 8 valence electrons in their highest energy level.

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14y ago

in most chemical reactions, atoms tend to match the s and p electron configuration of the noble gases.

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7y ago

Every element has a tendency to fill the last shell of electrons (up to 8).

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Q: Why is a stable octet configuration thought to be so stable?
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Related questions

What is the anion for xenon?

Xenon obeys octet rule and has a stable electronic configuration. So, xenon does not form any anion.


What is octet configuration?

Octet configuration refers to how elements generally prefer to form bonds so as to attain an octet configuration, i.e. have 8 electrons in their valence shell. For example, chlorine (Cl) is from Group VII and has 7 valence electrons. It will gain one electron (eg from sodium which loses one electron to form Na+) to form Cl-, which has 8 valence electrons and so fulfills the octet rule and is stable. The electronic configuration of sodium is 2.8.1 (if you're in secondary school), or 1s2,2s2,2p6,3s1 (more advanced). So by losing one electron to form Na+, sodium also attains octet configuration.


What is the main characteristic that all the noble gases have in common?

the noble gases have octet configuration ie they have 8 electrons in their outermost shell ,so they are stable


How does the octet rule explain the formation of a sodium ion?

The octet rule states that atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration with 8 electrons in their outermost shell. Sodium has 1 electron in its outermost shell, so it tends to lose this electron to achieve a stable electron configuration, forming a sodium ion with a +1 charge.


How many electrons are in a complete octet why is having a complete octet important?

eight. it is important to obtain octet so that elements become stable.


How many more electrons does silicon need to fill its outer shell?

Silicon needs four more electrons to fill its outer shell and achieve a stable octet configuration.


How many electrons does lithium lose or gain to achieve a stable octet configuration?

Lithium is in group 1 of the Periodic How_many_electrons_must_the_lithium_atom_give_up_to_become_stable, so it must lose one electron for it to attain a full outermost energy level and become stable.The charge will then be positive (+).


Does bromine tend to react by gaining electrons?

Yes, bromine tends to react by gaining electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration. It is a halogen and has seven valence electrons, so it typically gains one electron to complete its octet and attain a stable electronic configuration.


Why do atoms share gain or lose electrons?

Atoms share, gain, or lose electrons in order to achieve a stable configuration, usually a full valence shell. This is known as the octet rule. By doing so, atoms can attain lower energy levels and become more stable.


Why noble gases so stable?

Noble gases are stable because they have a full outer shell of electrons, making them highly unreactive. This full outer shell gives them little to no tendency to gain, lose, or share electrons with other atoms, which is why they exist as single atoms in nature.


Why does bromine form a -1 ion?

Bromine forms a -1 ion by gaining one electron to achieve a stable electron configuration with a full outer shell. In doing so, bromine fulfills the octet rule and becomes more stable.


What is the anion formula for xenon?

The most common anion formed by xenon is XeF4, where xenon has a formal charge of -2.