What are valence electrons?

Valence electrons are the electrons located in the outermost shell of an atom. These electrons play a crucial role in determining how an atom bonds with other atoms, influencing the chemical properties and reactivity of the element. The outermost shell, or valence shell, can hold a limited number of electrons, typically up to eight, following the octet rule in many cases. This positions valence electrons as central to understanding chemical interactions, as their presence, absence, or arrangement can lead to different bonding scenarios.

Understanding valence electrons is fundamental in fields such as organic chemistry, materials science, and biochemistry, where the ability of an atom to bond either by sharing or transferring these outer electrons can affect the formation of molecules and compounds.