Chapter 1 Section 8: How Atoms Interact with Each Other (The Octet Rule)
WDYS?
WDYT?
INVESTIGATE
1a) Which atoms have the smallest values for 1st ionization energies? (refer to the table in activity 6)
1b) Where are these atoms located on the periodic table?
1c) What do you observe about the amount of energy required to remove the 2nd electron from atoms of
the elements identified in (a)?
1d) Use your understanding of the arrangement of electrons in this group to suggest a reason for the
pattern you noted in (c).
1e) Which atoms have the smallest values for second ionization energies? Where are these atoms on the
periodic table?
1f) Use your understanding of the arrangement of electrons in this group to suggest a reason for the
pattern you noted in (e).
2a) What is the stable electron arrangement of neon?
2b) What is the stable electron arrangement of sodium after the 3s sublevel electron has been removed?
2c) What is the electric charge on the resulting sodium ion?
2d) How many valence electrons does a chlorine atom have?
2e) How many electrons would a chlorine atom have to lose in order to have a stable electron arrangement
like neon?
2f) How many electrons does a chlorine atom have to gain to have the same number of electrons as an
argon atom?
2g) What is the electric charge on the resulting chlorine ion?
2h) Describe how you think the compound sodium chloride (NaCl) is formed.
2i) Look at the What Do You See? picture at the beginning of Activity 7. Describe what you see in terms of
bonding.
3a) How many chlorine atoms are needed to accept the 2 electrons that zinc atoms have to give?
3b) How would you write the formula for zinc chloride?
3c) Look at the What Do You See? at the beginning of this activity. Describe what you see in terms of
bonding.
4a) How many valence electrons does aluminum have?
4b) How many electrons does an Al atom need to give up to reach the same chemical stability as a neon
atom?
4c) What are Al atoms called after they give up their electrons? What is their electric charge?
4d) How many chlorine atoms are needed to accept the electrons given up by aluminum?
4e) How would you write the formula for the compound aluminum chloride?
5) Create a model to explain how the valence electrons change places during the following reaction:
2Al(s) + 3ZnCl2(aq)  2AlCl3(aq) + 3Zn(s)