How many valence electrons does an oxygen atom have?

• A. 2
• B. 6
• C. 8
• D. 4

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the element in question, which is oxygen. Oxygen has an atomic number of 8, meaning it has 8 electrons in total.
2. Recall that valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell (energy level) of an atom that participate in chemical bonding.
3. Determine the electron configuration of oxygen to find how the electrons are distributed in its shells. The configuration is 1s\^2 2s\^2 2p\^4.
4. Recognize that the first shell (1s) holds 2 electrons and is full, so the valence electrons are those in the second shell (2s and 2p orbitals).
5. Add the electrons in the second shell: 2 electrons in 2s and 4 electrons in 2p, giving a total of 6 valence electrons for oxygen.