What does the Octet rule state? What will an atom do in order to follow the octet rule?

Answer 1

The Octet rule states that atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons in order to acquire a stable configuration of eight valence electrons (or two in the case of hydrogen). In other words, atoms are more stable when their outermost electron shell is filled with eight electrons, similar to the electron configuration of noble gases.

To follow the Octet rule, atoms will either:

1. Gain electrons: Typically, atoms with fewer than four valence electrons will gain electrons from other atoms to complete their outer electron shell. For example, chlorine (with seven valence electrons) can gain one electron to achieve eight electrons and form a chloride ion (Cl-).

2. Lose electrons: Atoms with more than four valence electrons tend to lose electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration. For example, sodium (with one valence electron) can lose this electron to form a sodium ion (Na+) with a stable configuration.

3. Share electrons: Some atoms, instead of gaining or losing electrons, will share electrons with other atoms to achieve an octet. This is common in covalent bonding, where two or more atoms share a pair of electrons. For instance, in a molecule of oxygen (O2), each oxygen atom shares two valence electrons with the other to complete their outer shell.