Valency

Valency is a term used in chemistry to describe the combining power of an element. It determines how many atoms of another element an atom of a particular element can combine with to form a compound. Valency is important in understanding how elements bond with each other to form various compounds.

Valence Electrons

Valency is determined by the number of valence electrons an atom has. Valence electrons are the electrons present in the outermost shell or energy level of an atom. These electrons are involved in the formation of chemical bonds. The number of valence electrons an atom possesses can be determined by its position in the periodic table.

Octet Rule

The octet rule states that atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons in order to achieve a stable electron configuration resembling the noble gases. Noble gases have a fully filled outermost shell, which makes them stable and unreactive. Other elements tend to react in order to achieve a similar electron configuration.

Valency and Electron Configuration

The valency of an element can be determined by its electron configuration. Elements in group 1 have one valence electron, elements in group 2 have two valence electrons, and so on. Elements in group 17 tend to gain one electron to achieve a stable configuration, while elements in group 16 tend to gain two electrons. Elements in group 15 tend to lose three electrons, and so on.

Valency and Chemical Bonding

Valency plays a crucial role in chemical bonding. Atoms with incomplete outer shells tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a stable configuration. This leads to the formation of ionic or covalent bonds. In ionic bonding, atoms transfer electrons to achieve a stable configuration, resulting in the formation of ions with opposite charges that attract each other. In covalent bonding, atoms share electrons to complete their outer shells.

Conclusion

In summary, valency is the combining power of an element determined by the number of valence electrons an atom possesses. It is essential in understanding how elements bond with each other to form compounds. Valency is determined by the electron configuration of an atom and plays a crucial role in chemical bonding.

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