Question

True or false: the hydrogen atom is most stable when it has a full octet of electrons.

Answer 1

The given statement “hydrogen is most stable when it has a full octet of electrons” is $\boxed{{\text{false}}}$.

Further explanation:

Chemical bond:

The attraction between atoms, molecules or ions that is responsible for the formation of chemical compounds is known as a chemical bond. It is formed either due to electrostatic forces or by the sharing of electrons. There are many strong bonds such as ionic bonds, covalent bonds, and metallic bonds while some weak bonds like dipole-dipole interactions, London dispersion forces, and hydrogen bonding also exist.

Octet rule:

According to this rule, the elements have the tendency to bond with other elements in order to acquire eight electrons in their valence shells. This results in achieving a stable noble gas configuration. Generally, all elements obey octet rule but there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, Be and B do not follow the octet rule.

The atomic number of hydrogen is 1 so its electronic configuration is $1{s^1}$. The maximum number of electrons that can be accommodated in the s orbital is two. So hydrogen can form one single bond with any other element and occupy two electrons in its valence shell. Therefore duplet of hydrogen is filled. But octet rule states that there should be eight electrons in the valence shell of the atom in order to acquire stability. Hydrogen is an exception to the octet rule. Therefore the given statement is false.

Learn more:

1. Which molecule cannot be adequately described by a single Lewis structure/ brainly.com/question/6786947

2. Do carbon dioxide and water have the same geometry? brainly.com/question/2176581

Answer details:

Grade: High School

Subject: Chemistry

Chapter: Chemical bonding and molecular structure

Keywords: hydrogen, duplet, octet, electrons, 1, 1s1, two, duplet, false, octet rule, eight electrons, exception.

Answer 2

This statement is false. When you say full octet, it means that an element opts to have eight electrons in its valence shell to become stable. However, since a hydrogen atom only has 1 electron when neutral, it is impossible to reach a full octet. That is why Hydrogen is one of the exceptions to this octet rule.