Practice: How many shared electrons are around the oxygen atom?
a) 4
b) 2
c) 6
d) 10
e) 8
The Octet Rule states that main-group elements will generally form enough bonds to obtain 8 electrons in their valence shell.
The Octet Rule
Concept #1: Octet Rule
Example #1: Which of the following statements is true in terms of the following compound:
Practice: Which of the following atoms has the most valence electrons?
a) O
b) Be
c) He
d) N
e) Si
Concept #2: Incomplete Octet vs. Expanded Octet
Some elements can have less or more than 8 octet electrons around them while still maintaining stability.
Example #2: How many octet electrons are around the phosphorus atom in the following compound?
Practice: Which of the following contains an atom that may have an incomplete octet?
a) CCl4
b) NCl3
c) OCl2
d) SeCl6
e) BCl3
