Will a noble gas like neon tend to form chemical bonds with other atoms?

• A. Yes, because neon needs to gain electrons to achieve stability.
• B. Yes, because neon readily forms covalent bonds with nonmetals.
• C. No, because neon is a metal and does not bond with other atoms.
• D. No, because neon has a complete valence electron shell and is chemically inert.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the electronic configuration of neon: Neon has a full valence shell with 8 electrons (2 in the first shell and 8 in the second shell), which makes it very stable.
2. Recall the octet rule: Atoms tend to form chemical bonds to achieve a full valence shell of 8 electrons, which is a stable electronic configuration.
3. Recognize that neon already has a complete octet, so it does not need to gain, lose, or share electrons to become stable.
4. Know that noble gases like neon are chemically inert because their full valence shells make them very unreactive and unlikely to form bonds.
5. Conclude that neon does not tend to form chemical bonds with other atoms due to its stable, complete valence electron shell.