Describe the octet rule and how it applies to chemical bonding.

Answer 1

The octet rule is a rule that states that the maximum number of electrons in the valence shell of an atom is 8. In terms of chemical bonding, Lone pairs and electrons shared in a bond each count for 2 towards the valence, while single electrons count for 1.

This is where the fundamental difference between an Ionic and Covalent bond comes into play. In ionic salts such as NaCl, Na has 1 valence electron while Cl has 7. Na therefore donates its electron so that Cl can reach 8.

A covalent bond is a different story. In covalent bonds, two or more elements combine their orbitals to make hybrid orbitals. These bonds are extremely difficult to break.