What is a valence electron?

A valence electron is an outer shell electron that is associated with an atom, and that can participate in the formation of a <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/chemical%20bond">chemical bond</a>.

• Location: Valence electrons reside in the outermost <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/electron%20shell">electron shell</a> of an atom. This shell is also known as the valence shell.
• Number: The number of valence electrons determines the chemical properties of an element. Atoms with the same number of valence electrons often exhibit similar chemical behavior.
• Role in bonding: Valence electrons are primarily responsible for how an atom interacts with other atoms. They are involved in forming <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/covalent%20bond">covalent bonds</a> by being shared between atoms, and <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/ionic%20bond">ionic bonds</a> by being transferred from one atom to another.
• Octet rule: Many atoms tend to gain, lose, or share valence electrons in order to achieve a full outer shell with eight electrons (octet rule), which is energetically favorable (except for hydrogen and helium, which aim for two electrons).
• Determining Valence Electrons: The number of valence electrons can often be determined by the element's group number in the periodic table.