Questions: According to the octet rule, atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons until they are surrounded by valence electrons. (A) 8 (B) 10 (C) 6 (D) 2

Transcript text: According to the octet rule, atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons until they are surrounded by $\qquad$ valence electrons. (A) 8 (B) 10 (C) 6 (D) 2

Solution

Solution Steps

Step 1: Understanding the Octet Rule

The octet rule is a chemical rule of thumb that reflects the tendency of atoms to prefer having eight electrons in their valence shell. This rule is based on the observation that atoms with eight valence electrons (like the noble gases) are particularly stable.

Step 2: Analyzing the Options

We need to determine which of the given options (8, 10, 6, or 2) corresponds to the number of valence electrons that atoms tend to have according to the octet rule.

Step 3: Selecting the Correct Answer

According to the octet rule, atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons until they are surrounded by 8 valence electrons.