Table of contents

1. A Review of General Chemistry5h 5m
2. Molecular Representations1h 14m
3. Acids and Bases2h 46m
4. Alkanes and Cycloalkanes4h 17m
5. Chirality3h 39m
6. Thermodynamics and Kinetics1h 22m
7. Substitution Reactions1h 48m
8. Elimination Reactions2h 30m
9. Alkenes and Alkynes2h 9m
10. Addition Reactions3h 19m
11. Radical Reactions1h 58m
12. Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Thiols2h 42m
13. Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds2h 17m
14. Synthetic Techniques1h 26m
15. Analytical Techniques:IR, NMR, Mass Spect7h 3m
16. Conjugated Systems6h 13m
17. Ultraviolet Spectroscopy51m
18. Aromaticity2h 34m
19. Reactions of Aromatics: EAS and Beyond5h 1m
20. Phenols55m
21. Aldehydes and Ketones: Nucleophilic Addition4h 56m
22. Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: NAS2h 51m
23. The Chemistry of Thioesters, Phophate Ester and Phosphate Anhydrides1h 10m
24. Enolate Chemistry: Reactions at the Alpha-Carbon1h 53m
25. Condensation Chemistry2h 9m
26. Amines1h 43m
27. Heterocycles2h 0m
28. Carbohydrates5h 53m
29. Amino Acids4h 20m
30. Peptides and Proteins2h 42m
31. Catalysis in Organic Reactions1h 30m
32. Lipids 2h 50m
33. The Organic Chemistry of Metabolic Pathways2h 52m
34. Nucleic Acids1h 32m
35. Transition Metals6h 14m
36. Synthetic Polymers1h 49m

1. A Review of General Chemistry

Octet Rule

Organic Chemistry

1. A Review of General Chemistry

Octet Rule

Previous problemNext problem

2:43 minutes

Problem 14b

Textbook Question

How many electrons does an atom of each of the following elements need to lose to achieve a noble gas configuration? By losing that many electrons, which noble gas configuration is achieved?
(b) Aluminum

Verified step by step guidance

Identify the group number of aluminum in the periodic table. Aluminum (Al) is in Group 13, meaning it has 3 valence electrons in its outermost shell.

Determine the nearest noble gas configuration that aluminum can achieve by losing electrons. Noble gases have a full octet (8 electrons in their outer shell) or a full duet for helium. For aluminum, the nearest noble gas configuration is that of neon (Ne), which has 10 electrons.

Calculate how many electrons aluminum needs to lose to achieve the neon configuration. Aluminum has 13 electrons in total, and its electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p¹. By losing 3 electrons (the 3s² and 3p¹ electrons), aluminum will achieve the configuration of neon: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶.

Conclude that aluminum needs to lose 3 electrons to achieve the noble gas configuration of neon.

Verify the stability of the resulting ion. When aluminum loses 3 electrons, it forms the Al³⁺ ion, which is stable due to its noble gas configuration.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above

Video duration:

Play a video:

Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Noble Gas Configuration

Noble gas configuration refers to the electron arrangement of noble gases, which have full outer electron shells, making them stable and unreactive. Atoms tend to lose, gain, or share electrons to achieve this stable configuration, typically resembling the nearest noble gas in the periodic table.

Valence Electrons

Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom that are involved in chemical bonding. The number of valence electrons determines how many electrons an atom needs to lose, gain, or share to achieve a noble gas configuration. For aluminum, which has three valence electrons, losing these electrons allows it to reach stability.

Ionization Energy

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom in its gaseous state. For elements like aluminum, understanding ionization energy helps predict how easily an atom can lose electrons to achieve a noble gas configuration. Lower ionization energy indicates that an atom can lose electrons more readily, facilitating the transition to a stable state.

Watch next

Master How Noble gases are related to the octet rule. with a bite sized video explanation from Johnny

Start learning