Valence Electrons of Elements (Simplified)

now for main group elements were going to say that the number of valence electrons that they possess equals their group number. For example, aluminum is in group three. A sword has three valence electrons. Now these valence electrons are the outer shell electrons involved in forming chemical bonds. Now, besides the valence electrons, all the remaining electrons are called your inner core electrons. So these are the remaining electrons that are not valence electrons. We're going to say here that your total number of electrons. So you're gonna say total electrons Which is connected to your atomic number for neutral element equals your valence electrons plus your inner core electrons. So here we take a look at chlorine. Chlorine has an atomic number of 17 When it is neutral it has 17 protons. But more importantly 17 electrons. It is in group seven a. So that would mean out of the 17 total electrons. Seven of them are valence electrons. And you can see here with this representation of the chlorine atom We have here are 3rd shell, so and equals three. And in this third show we have our seven valence electrons, The remaining 10 electrons are in shells too, And one they total up to a total of electrons. Okay, so for chlorine, we see that we have our seven valence electrons in the outer shell, with all the remaining electrons serving as our inner core electrons.

here, it says. How maney inner core and valence electrons, which would a silicon Adam possess? So Adam means that it's a neutral element, and when we look, silicon has an atomic number of 14 on the periodic table. So remember your atomic number, which is connected to your total number of electrons, equals your valence electrons. Yeah, which form a group element, is just your group number, plus your inner core electrons here, the atomic number. Again, we said it's 14. Silicon is in Group four A. On the periodic table since it's in Group four. A. It has four valence electrons, so we already know we have four Valence electrons. Okay, and all we have to do here to find the number of inner core electrons is subtract four from both sides, and what's left is 10 that 10. What equal the number off in our core electrons? Yeah, so we'd say that's the silicon. Atom has four valence electrons, instant group for A, and it has 10 inner core electrons