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Why are hydrogen and oxygen atoms are more stable when they form bonds in a water molecule?

Why are hydrogen and oxygen atoms are more stable when they form bonds in a water molecule?

The electron from each hydrogen atom and the electrons from the oxygen atom get to be near more protons when the atoms are bonded together as a molecule than when they are separated as individual atoms. This makes the molecule of bonded oxygen and hydrogen atoms more stable than the individual separated atoms.

Does oxygen lose or gain valence electrons to become stable?

Elements in Groups 15,16 and 17, find it easier to gain electrons than lose them. For example, oxygen atoms gain two electrons to form O2- ions. These have the same electron configuration as the noble gas neon. Elements in Group 14 could lose four, or gain four electrons to achieve a noble gas structure.

Why some elements are stable on their own while others are more stable in compounds?

The elements that are stable on their own are that way because their outer level of electrons is full, where as other elements that are more stable in compounds are that way because they need more electrons in their outer level or have to many, so they can give or get more electrons from other elements based on what …

Why do atoms become more stable when they form compounds?

The loss or gain of valence electrons allows ions to obey the octet rule and become more stable. Ionic compounds are typically neutral. Therefore, ions combine in ways that neutralize their charges.

Are oxygen atoms stable?

One oxygen atom is unstable since it has only 6 electrons in the outermost shell. For an atom to be stable it needs 8 electrons. So, for the oxygen atom to be stable it requires two more electrons in the valence shell.

When atoms gain or lose electrons they become?

An atom that gains or loses an electron becomes an ion. If it gains a negative electron, it becomes a negative ion. If it loses an electron it becomes a positive ion (see page 10 for more on ions).

Does oxygen gain or lose electrons to form an ion?

two electrons
The charge on an ion is equal to the difference in the number of electrons and that of protons it contains- in other words, the number of electrons its parent atom has gained or lost. An electrically-neutral oxygen atom gains two electrons to form an oxygen ion with two negative charges.

Does oxygen want to gain or lose electrons?

Oxygen is one of the more electronegative elements, and wants to attract electrons to itself. Oxidation is the addition of oxygen, and is also removal of electrons, as the added oxygen atom will attract electrons to itself, thereby making the original element lose electrons.

Why some elements have a stable atomic structure and some are less stable?

An atom is stable if the forces among the particles that makeup the nucleus are balanced. An atom is unstable (radioactive) if these forces are unbalanced; if the nucleus has an excess of internal energy. Instability of an atom’s nucleus may result from an excess of either neutrons or protons.

Why are some elements stable on their own while others are more stable in compounds quizlet?

Terms in this set (5) why are some elements are stable on their own while others are more stable in compounds. Is because some elements need to share and receive electrons in order to be stable. When one atom shares its electrons or protons with another atom which forms a compound.

Why the atoms become stable?

Many atoms become stable when their valence shell is filled with electrons or when they satisfy the octet rule (by having eight valence electrons). An atom stabilizes by bonding with another atom in order to fill out its outer set of electrons in its shell.