According to the octet rule, atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve how many electrons in their outermost shell?

• A. 18
• B. 2
• C. 8
• D. 10

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the octet rule: it states that atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons in order to have a full outermost shell with 8 electrons, which is a stable electron configuration similar to noble gases.
2. Recall that the octet rule applies mainly to main-group elements, especially those in the second period of the periodic table, where the maximum number of electrons in the outer shell is 8.
3. Recognize that the number 8 corresponds to the full s and p orbitals in the valence shell (2 electrons in the s orbital and 6 electrons in the p orbitals).
4. Note that the numbers 2, 10, and 18 correspond to other electron shell capacities (2 for the first shell, 10 for the d subshell, and 18 for the combined s, p, and d subshells), but the octet rule specifically refers to 8 electrons.
5. Conclude that according to the octet rule, atoms tend to have 8 electrons in their outermost shell to achieve stability.