A selenium atom (Se) would form its most

stable ion by the
1. loss of 2 electrons.
2. gain of 1 electron.
3. loss of 1 electron.
4. loss of 7 electrons.
5. gain of 2 electrons.

Help please and tell me how you got the answer. Thanks!

Se (atomic number 34) is in group 16 (or VIA depending upon the system your prof is using). Therefore, it needs two electrons to make 18 which is the next higher noble gas element of Kr(atomic number 36). Adding two electrons will make it a -2 charge.

Selenium has the symbol Se2-, this means that selenium has

so what is the answer to the question

How many electrons to lose in selenium

How many electrons to lose in Argon

To determine the most stable ion of selenium (Se), we need to consider its electron configuration and the octet rule.

Selenium has an atomic number of 34, meaning it has 34 electrons distributed in its electron shells. The electron configuration of a neutral selenium atom is 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^4.

In order to achieve a stable electron configuration, elements tend to gain or lose electrons to form ions. The octet rule states that atoms tend to gain or lose electrons to achieve a stable configuration with 8 valence electrons (except for hydrogen and helium, which only require 2 valence electrons for stability).

In the case of selenium, it has 6 valence electrons in its outermost shell (4s^2 3p^4). To achieve stability, it is more likely to gain 2 electrons to fill its outer shell, rather than losing 6 or 7 electrons to completely empty its outer shell.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 5: gain of 2 electrons. By gaining 2 electrons, selenium forms the stable ion Se^2-, which has a complete octet with 8 valence electrons in its outer shell (4s^2 3p^6).

Loss of 2 electrons