BIOL 240 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Octet Rule, Electronegativity, Covalent Bond

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Valence electrons are those in the outermost shell, or valence shell. The chemical behavior of an atom is mostly determined by the valence electrons. Elements with a full valence shell are chemically inert. Most of the elements important in biology need eight electrons in their outermost shell in order to be stable, and this rule of thumb is known as the octet rule. The formation and function of molecules depend on chemical bonding between atoms. Atoms with incomplete shells can share or transfer valence electrons with certain other atoms. These interactions usually result in atoms staying close together, held by attractions called chemical bonds. A covalent bond is the sharing of a pair of valence electrons by two atoms. In a covalent bond, the shared electrons count as part of each atom"s valence shell. A molecule consists of two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds.

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