Module 4 Flashcards
Valence electrons
The electrons that exist farthest from an atom’s nucleus.
They are the electrons with the highest energy level number.
An atom’s chemistry or chemical behavior is determined mostly by
the number of valence electrons it has.
Atoms in the same column of the periodic table have
the same number of valence electrons and have very similar chemistry or chemical behavior.
Octet rule
Most atoms strive to attain 8 valence electrons.
For atoms in groups IA-8A, the number of the column in which the atom is located on the periodic table equals
the number of valence electrons the atom has.
In ionic compounds, nonmetals try to gain
electrons so their Lewis structures reach the ideal electron configuration with 8 dots around it.
In ionic compounds, metals try to
lose electrons so their Lewis structures reach the ideal electron configuration with no dots around them
lon
An atom that has gained or lost electrons, becoming electrically charged.
Cation
A positively charged ion.
Anion
A negatively charged ion.
lonization
The process by which an atom turns into an ion by gaining or losing electrons.
Ionization energy
The amount of energy needed to take an electron away from an atom.
Periodic property
A characteristic of atoms that varies regularly across the periodic table.
Electronegativity
A measure of how strongly an atom attracts extra electrons to itself,
Covalent bond
A shared pair of valence electrons that holds atoms together in covalent compounds.
