Octet Rule

The Octet Rule

1. Atoms of other main group elements which are not octet tend to react with other atoms in various ways to achieve the octet.
2. The tendency of an atom to achieve an octet arrangement of electrons in the outermost shell is called the octet rule.
3. If the outermost shell is the first shell, then the maximum number of electrons is two, and the most stable electron arrangement will be duplet.
4. A configuration of two electrons in the first shell, with no other shells occupied by electrons, is as stable as the octet electron arrangement and therefore is also said to obey the octet rule.

How Atoms Achieve Duplet or Octet Electron Arrangement?

1. Atoms can achieve duplet or octet electron arrangement in 3 ways:
1. throw away the excess electron(s)
2. receiving electron(s) from other atom if they are lack of electron(s)
3. sharing electron

(A sodium atom throws away an electron to achieve octet electron arrangement)

(A fluorine atom receives one electron to achieve octet electron arrangement)

(Two fluorine atoms share one pair of electrons to achieve octet electron arrangement)