Questions: An atom can be described as chemically inert if its outermost electron shell contains electrons.
eight
nine
two
Both A and C are correct.
Transcript text: Question 29
1 pts
An atom can be described as chemically inert if its outermost electron shell contains $\qquad$ electrons.
eight
nine
two
Both A and C are correct.
Solution
Solution Steps
Step 1: Understanding Chemical Inertness
Chemical inertness refers to an atom's lack of reactivity with other substances. This typically occurs when an atom's outermost electron shell is full, making it stable and unlikely to form chemical bonds.
Step 2: Identifying Electron Shell Capacity
The outermost electron shell, also known as the valence shell, is considered full when it contains a specific number of electrons. For most elements, this number is eight, which is known as the octet rule. However, for the first shell, which is the case for helium, it is full with two electrons.
Step 3: Evaluating the Options
Option A: Eight electrons make the outer shell full for most elements, leading to chemical inertness.
Option C: Two electrons make the outer shell full for helium, leading to chemical inertness.
Option D: Both A and C are correct, as they describe conditions under which an atom can be chemically inert.