Question

If an atom has 2 electrons in its outer shell, what will be its oxidation number when it forms an ion right before bonding with another atom?

Answer 1

An atom with 2 electrons in its outer shell will form an ion with a -2 oxidation number.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this case, an atom with 2 electrons in its outer shell will form an ion with a -2 oxidation number. The reason for this is that the atom will gain 2 electrons, resulting in a full outer shell with 8 electrons. This is the case for elements such as oxygen, which typically has 6 electrons in its outer shell and will gain 2 electrons to achieve stability.