Valence electrons are the special electrons located in the outer layer of an atom. You can think of them as the "friends" of an atom. They are in charge of making connections and working with other atoms.

Why Are Valence Electrons Important?

• Bond Formation: Atoms join together to become more stable. They usually do this by filling up their outer layers.

  For example, sodium (Na) has 1 valence electron, while chlorine (Cl) has 7. Sodium can give away its valence electron to chlorine. This way, both atoms become stable.

• Types of Bonds:

  • Ionic Bonds: These bonds happen when electrons are moved from one atom to another. A common example is sodium chloride (NaCl), which is table salt.
  • Covalent Bonds: These bonds form when atoms share their electrons. A good example is water (H₂O), where oxygen shares its valence electrons with hydrogen.

Knowing about valence electrons helps us understand why some elements react in certain ways and how different compounds are made!