What Is Valency in Chemistry? Understanding Atomic Bonding Capacity
Learn what valency means in chemistry and how atoms combine based on their outermost electrons. Simple examples included.
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Valency refers to the ability of an atom to combine with other atoms. It is determined by the number of electrons in its outermost shell. For instance, hydrogen has a valency of 1 because it can form one bond, while carbon has a valency of 4, allowing it to form four bonds.
FAQs & Answers
- What does valency mean in chemistry? Valency refers to the ability of an atom to bond with other atoms, determined by the number of electrons in its outermost shell.
- How is valency determined for an atom? Valency is determined by the number of electrons in an atom's outermost shell that can participate in forming chemical bonds.
- Why does hydrogen have a valency of 1? Hydrogen has one electron in its outermost shell, so it can form one covalent bond, giving it a valency of 1.
- What is the valency of carbon and why? Carbon has four electrons in its outer shell, allowing it to form four bonds, so its valency is 4.