What can be predicted from the valence electrons of the elements in a compound formed by a reaction? (1) number of bonds between the atoms absolute electronegativity of the atoms electronegativity difference between the atoms bond type between the atoms

Answer 1

From the valence electrons of the elements in a compound formed by a reaction, several things can be predicted:

1. Number of Bonds Between the Atoms: The number of valence electrons can help predict how many bonds an atom can form. For example, most elements tend to form bonds to achieve a full outer shell of electrons (octet rule). The number of bonds is often determined by how many electrons an atom needs to gain, lose, or share to reach a stable configuration.

2. Electronegativity Difference Between the Atoms: While the absolute electronegativity of individual atoms can't be directly determined from valence electrons alone, the valence configuration can give insights into their relative electronegativities. The difference in electronegativity between bonded atoms can help predict the nature of the bond.

3. Bond Type Between the Atoms: The comparison of electronegativity values (which can be inferred from valence electron configurations) can help determine whether a bond is ionic (large electronegativity difference) or covalent (small to moderate electronegativity difference).

The absolute electronegativity of the atoms cannot be predicted directly from valence electrons; it is a separate property generally obtained from empirical measurements.

In summary, from valence electrons, you can predict the number of bonds between the atoms, the electronegativity difference, and the bond type.