[Chemistry] How many electrons an element will gain or lose?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around predicting how many electrons Gallium will likely gain or lose, focusing on its behavior as a metal and its position in the periodic table. Participants explore concepts related to oxidation states, electron configurations, and the octet rule, with a mix of theoretical and practical considerations.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that Gallium is a metal and typically loses electrons to form cations, suggesting it may lose three electrons to achieve a +3 charge.
  • Others mention that Gallium can also gain electrons to complete its outer shell, potentially forming a -5 charge, although this is less common.
  • One participant highlights the importance of the octet rule, stating that elements tend to gain or lose electrons until they achieve a full outer shell, though they caution that this is an approximation.
  • Another participant argues that the octet rule primarily applies to certain groups in the periodic table, such as group 1 and halogens, and may not accurately predict behavior for all elements.
  • Some contributions emphasize that while the octet rule can predict stable configurations, it may not account for all valencies and behaviors of elements, particularly for lighter elements.
  • One participant provides a detailed explanation of Gallium's electron configuration, comparing it to Aluminum and concluding that Gallium is expected to lose three electrons, similar to Aluminum's behavior in forming compounds like Gallium Trichloride.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on how to predict electron gain or loss for Gallium, with no consensus on the applicability of the octet rule across different groups of elements. Some agree on the likelihood of Gallium losing three electrons, while others raise questions about the limitations of this prediction.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge that the octet rule is a simplification and may not apply uniformly to all elements, particularly in terms of varying valencies and the behavior of lighter elements. There are also unresolved discussions regarding the stability of different oxidation states.

PhyiscsisNeat

Homework Statement



Predict how many electrons will most likely be gained or lost by each element:

In this case, Gallium

Homework Equations



None (that I know of)

The Attempt at a Solution


[/B]
I know that Gallium is a metal, and metals tend to lose electrons to become cations, so I will assume that Ga will be losing electrons. At the top of the column in which Ga resides sits the term 3A, which I understand to be the number of valence electrons each element in the column has. Beyond this, I have no idea what I am doing. Can someone explain how to predict how many electrons a given element will gain or lose? Thank you in advance.
 
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PhyiscsisNeat said:

Homework Statement



Predict how many electrons will most likely be gained or lost by each element:

In this case, Gallium

Homework Equations



None (that I know of)

The Attempt at a Solution


[/B]
I know that Gallium is a metal, and metals tend to lose electrons to become cations, so I will assume that Ga will be losing electrons. At the top of the column in which Ga resides sits the term 3A, which I understand to be the number of valence electrons each element in the column has. Beyond this, I have no idea what I am doing. Can someone explain how to predict how many electrons a given element will gain or lose? Thank you in advance.

Hi PhyiscsisNeat! :)

So it's in group 3A out of 8 groups in total (in the 'A' system).
That means it has 3 electrons in its outer shell that it can release (up to Ga3+).
Or alternatively it can complete its outer shell by attracting up to 5 electrons (up to Ga5-).
Wiki (link) says that the oxidation states of Ga are 3,2,1,-1,-2,-4,-5.
 
Thank you! The electron lose and gain was confusing me... I guess I wasn't there that day. Finished the assignment with a 99.5%. Thanks again.
 
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You are most likely expected to assume the element will "fill the octet" - that is, it will either lose or gain electrons till it has an octet on the outermost shell.

That's only an approximation, and a poor one, of what can really happen in reality.
 
Borek said:
You are most likely expected to assume the element will "fill the octet" - that is, it will either lose or gain electrons till it has an octet on the outermost shell.

That's only an approximation, and a poor one, of what can really happen in reality.
If I'm not mistaken it only really holds true for elements in group 1, which only seem to have the +1 valency.
Elements in 7A (or 15B) will have -1, but can still have various positive valencies.
It's only oxygen that seems to be pretty consistent at -2 isn't it?
 
I like Serena said:
If I'm not mistaken it only really holds true for elements in group 1, which only seem to have the +1 valency.

It works a bit better when we try to predict the most stable configuration only (-1 for all halogens), plus in most cases it is a "natural" (whatever it means) valence for many other elements. Or, to put it differently: for each element the octet rule predicts one of its valencies, the lighter the element, the more common/basic this valence is.

It's only oxygen that seems to be pretty consistent at -2 isn't it?

H2O2, OF2 :wink:
 
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PhyiscsisNeat said:

Homework Statement



Predict how many electrons will most likely be gained or lost by each element:

In this case, Gallium

Homework Equations



None (that I know of)

The Attempt at a Solution


[/B]
I know that Gallium is a metal, and metals tend to lose electrons to become cations, so I will assume that Ga will be losing electrons. At the top of the column in which Ga resides sits the term 3A, which I understand to be the number of valence electrons each element in the column has. Beyond this, I have no idea what I am doing. Can someone explain how to predict how many electrons a given element will gain or lose? Thank you in advance.

Well, Gallium electron shell configuration is Argon 3d10 4s2 4p1. This means that the first 18 electrons are configured in shells just like Argon (Noble Gas). That leaves 13 more electrons to account for. On the third shell level (which is d) are 10 electrons. That leaves 3 electrons left at the 4th shell level. Those last 3 electrons are therefore the valence of Gallium (exactly like the valence of Aluminum, which is also 3). This means that Gallium, like Aluminum will be ready to lose 3 electrons and have a +3 charge, therefore it is a cation.

That's why you would expect Gallium, like Aluminum, to react with three chlorine atoms to form Gallium Trichloride, just like Aluminum would (GaCl3).

This is a simplified explanation, I hope it helps.
 

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