Assignment Summary
In this assignment, you will predict the products of a chemical reaction and explain why you made this
prediction. You will use what you have learned about atoms, bonding, and the organization of the periodic
table in your explanation. You will then review and revise your prediction and explanation based on some
additional information.
Background Information
Atoms combine with other atoms to form chemical bonds. When atoms bond, electrons can be either
shared, donated, or gained. The likelihood that an atom of one element will bond with an atom of another
element is related to the number of valence electrons in each atom. For example, elements in Group 1A
contain one valence electron, and elements in Group 7A contain seven valence electrons. Elements from
these two groups are likely to bond with one another, as the one valence electron from the Group 1A
element can be donated to the Group 7A element to complete its outer valence shell.
In general, metals, which have only a few valence electrons, form ionic bonds with nonmetals that have
nearly full outer valence shells. In an ionic bond, one or more electrons are donated from the metal
element to the nonmetal element. Nonmetals tend to form covalent bonds with other nonmetals by
sharing one or more pairs of electrons.