To determine the number of electrons needed in the outer energy level of most atoms for the atom to be stable (happy), we can refer to the octet rule. The octet rule states that atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons in order to have a full outer shell of 8 electrons, which mimics the stable configuration of noble gases.
Here are a few scenarios based on the octet rule:
1. For atoms in the first two periods of the periodic table (up to Neon, atomic number 10), they strive to have a complete outer shell with 2 electrons. Therefore, atoms like hydrogen (H) and helium (He) are stable with 2 electrons in their outer energy level.
2. For atoms in the third period and beyond, they aim to have 8 electrons in their outer energy level to achieve stability. This means atoms like carbon (C) with 4 valence electrons will seek to gain 4 more electrons to reach the stable configuration of 8 in the outer shell.
In conclusion, most atoms need 8 electrons in their outer energy level to be stable. This is known as the octet rule and is a fundamental concept in understanding chemical bonding and stability in atoms.
