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Define valency by taking examples of silicon and oxygen. - Science
Question
Define valency by taking examples of silicon and oxygen.
Answer
Valency is the combining capacity of an atom, determined by the number of electrons it needs to lose, gain, or share to achieve a stable octet (8 electrons) in its outermost shell.
Examples:
Silicon (Si):
Atomic number = 14
Configuration = 2, 8, 4
It has 4 valence electrons. To complete its octet, it shares 4 electrons.
Therefore, the valency of Silicon is 4.
Oxygen (O):
Atomic number = 8
Configuration = 2, 6
It has 6 valence electrons. To complete its octet, it needs to gain 2 electrons (8 - 6 = 2).
Therefore, the valency of Oxygen is 2.