Life on the Edge

Valence and Core Electrons

Atoms
The Atom is the smallest
particle of a substance that
can exist by itself or be
combined with other atoms
to form a molecule.

Atoms of course are three
dimensional and actually
take up space in three
dimensions
Atomic Models
Atomic Models are used
to understand atoms in
a much more simplified
way

Represented in 2D and
not to scale.

Easier to draw
Electron Shells
Are the levels around
the nucleus where
electrons can be found
These are energy levels
These levels are
represented on models
by spheres or circles

General Patterns of Electrons
Based on your
handout, what do
lithium, sodium, and
potassium all have in
common
Each has two
electrons in the
first shell
One electron in the
outermost shell
General Patterns of Electrons
If you know what
group an element is
in, what can you
predict about its
electron
arrangement?
The number of
electrons in the
outer most shell
General Patterns of Electrons
What does the period
an element is in tell
you about its
electrons?
The number of
electron shells
General Patterns of Electrons
How can you
determine the
arrangement of an
elements electron
from the position in
the periodic table
The number of shells is the
same as the period number
The number of electrons in the
outermost shell is the same as
the group number
The inner shells have 2
electrons in the first shell
8 electrons in the second shell,
8 electrons in the third shell for
elements before the transition
elements and 18 electrons in
the third shell for elements after
the transition elements
Key Points
The atomic number
of an element is the
same as the total
number of electrons
As you go from one
element to the next in
the periodic table, the
number of electrons
increase by one.
The number of
electrons corresponds
to the atomic number
Key Points
The period (row)
number of the
element is the same
as the number of
electron shells
As you go down the periodic
table, from one period to the
next, the number of electron
shells increase by one.
In the first period, the atoms
have electrons in only one shell
In the second period, the atoms
have electrons in two shells
In the fourth period, the atoms
have electrons in four shells
Key Points
For main-group
elements, (non-
transitional), the
group number of the
elements is the
same as the number
of electrons in the
outermost shell
Example:
All Group 4A elements
have 4 electrons in their
outermost shell
All Group 8A elements
have 8 electrons in their
outermost shell
Valence Shell
The valence shell is
the outermost shell in
an atom
Valence Electron
The valence electron
is the electron located
in the outermost
electron shell of an
atom
Valence
electron
Core Electrons
The core electrons
are all the other
electrons in an atom
that are not on the
valence shell
Valence
electron
Do Valence and Core Electron Sheet
Valence and Core Electron sheet
What patterns do you
see in the number of
valence electrons in
the table?
Valence electron
same as group
number
Increase by one in
the period, 1-8
Valence and Core Electron sheet
How do the numbers
of core electrons vary
across the second
row?
They all remain at
2
Valence and Core Electron sheet
Explain why there is a
change in the number
of core electrons
across the fourth row
There are ten
transitional
element between
Ca and Ga, so ten
more electrons get
filled in
Key Question
Why do elements in
the same group in the
periodic table have
similar properties?
Electrons occupy distinct areas
around the nucleus called electron
shells. The arrangement of
electrons in these shells are highly
predictable
For main group elements, elements
in the same group have the same
number of valence electrons
The number of valence electrons
increase across a period
The number of shells and the
number of core electrons increase
as you go down a group