When they react they are attempting to get full shells. Some elements will lose electrons or gain electrons to gain a stable electron configuration. Group 1 elements Group 1 elements metals lose 1 electron and form an ion M⁺. Select the number of electrons each atom needs to gain or lose to be consistent with the octet rule. Calcium (Ca) Bromine (Br) lose 2 electrons gain 2 electrons Nitrogen (N) Krypton (Kr) lose 2 electrons.

Elements That Lose Electrons

How can you tell if an element wants to gain or lose electrons?

Aluminum Lose Or Gain Electrons

If a molecule is oxidized, does it gain or lose energy? Oxidation occurs when a molecule loses an electron or increases its oxidation state. When a molecule is oxidized, it loses energy. In contrast, when a molecule is reduced, it gains one or more electrons. The valence electron for phosphorus is 5. To achieve an octet electron arrangement, it needs to lose 5 electrons or gain 3 electrons. It is easier to gain 3 electrons than to lose 5 electrons. So phosphorus has to gain 3 electrons.

1 Answer

Explanation:

Electrons

In general, metals will lose electrons to become a positive cation and nonmetals will gain electrons to become a negative anion. Hydrogen is an exception, as it will usually lose its electron. Metalloids and some metals can be can lose or gain electrons.
This is not always true, as elements such as nitrogen can lose electrons to become positive. When an ionic compound forms, the more electronegative element will gain electrons and the less electronegative element will lose electrons.

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