Question
The oxygen's charge is 2- because it
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Oxygen typically has a charge of 2- in its ionic form (known as the oxide ion, O²⁻) because it gains two electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration.
In its neutral state, oxygen has 6 electrons in its outer shell (valence shell). To achieve a stable octet configuration (which involves having 8 electrons in the outer shell), oxygen needs to gain 2 more electrons. When it gains these two electrons, it becomes negatively charged, resulting in the O²⁻ ion.
This tendency to gain electrons is due to oxygen's electronegativity, which is relatively high compared to many other elements. Thus, oxygen typically forms compounds with a -2 charge in ionic compounds, particularly with metals that have a tendency to lose electrons.
In its neutral state, oxygen has 6 electrons in its outer shell (valence shell). To achieve a stable octet configuration (which involves having 8 electrons in the outer shell), oxygen needs to gain 2 more electrons. When it gains these two electrons, it becomes negatively charged, resulting in the O²⁻ ion.
This tendency to gain electrons is due to oxygen's electronegativity, which is relatively high compared to many other elements. Thus, oxygen typically forms compounds with a -2 charge in ionic compounds, particularly with metals that have a tendency to lose electrons.