Question

The periodic table is arranged by various patterns. Describe the pattern regarding charges of ions formed across a row? In three to five sentences, explain your reasoning and provide specific examples

Answer 1

In the periodic table, the charges of ions formed by elements across a row (or period) generally correlate with their positions and the number of valence electrons they possess. As you move from left to right across a period, the number of valence electrons increases from one to eight. Elements on the left side, such as alkali metals (Group 1), tend to lose one electron, forming cations with a +1 charge (e.g., sodium forms Na⁺). Transitioning toward the right, elements like the chalcogens (Group 16) have six valence electrons and typically gain two electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration, resulting in anions with a -2 charge (e.g., oxygen forms O²⁻). This pattern reflects the elements' tendencies to achieve the stable electron configuration of noble gases by either losing or gaining electrons.