Question

Which element is less reactive, an element who's atoms have seven valence electrons or an Element whose atoms have eight valence electrons? Explain.

Answer 1

An element whose atoms have eight valence electrons each is much less reactive, because such an element already has the energy-minimizing electron configuration, a closed octet, that other elements achieve by reaction with one another. Elements with seven electrons in each valence shell have a strong drive to abstract another one from a less electronegative atom such as a metal.