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Title: How do you know whether an atom would loose electrons or gain electrons? Post by: buffet55 on Sep 8, 2012 Calcium has two valence electrons, how can i tell if calcium gains or looses electrons to form stable octect?
Title: How do you know whether an atom would loose electrons or gain electrons? Post by: ilikescience on Sep 8, 2012 Calcium is a metal, and metals usually lose electrons to form a stable octet.
This is because it's easier for Calcium to lose TWO electrons, than gain SIX electrons. To form a stable octet, atoms need eight valence electrons. Title: How do you know whether an atom would loose electrons or gain electrons? Post by: buffyl13 on Sep 8, 2012 Calcium wants to end up with a complete outer ring of electrons. It can do that by gaining six electrons or by losing two. Losing two is easier.
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