Final answer:
Outer electrons may form chemical bonds, such as ionic or covalent bonds, when atoms come in contact to attain stable electron configurations. The behavior of outer electrons in forming chemical bonds is crucial and driven by the desire to fill the outer shell according to the octet rule.
Step-by-step explanation:
When different atoms come into contact with each other, their outer electrons may interact to form chemical bonds. This interaction is crucial for achieving greater stability for the atoms involved. Atoms with incomplete outer shells will seek to fill these vacancies and may do so by forming bonds where they can share, accept, or donate electrons to fulfill the octet rule or, for hydrogen, the duet rule. There are primarily two types of chemical bonds:
- Ionic bonds: These occur when electrons are transferred from one atom to another, creating ions. The positively charged cations are attracted to the negatively charged anions, creating an ionic compound.
- Covalent bonds: These occur when atoms share one or more pairs of electrons, leading to the formation of molecules. The sharing of electrons allows each atom to attain the electron configuration of a noble gas, resulting in a stable arrangement.
The type and number of bonds an atom can form is determined by its valence electrons, which are the electrons in the outermost shell. Chemical bonding is essential in the formation of everything from simple molecules like H2O to complex biological structures.