CramX Logo

Q
QuestionChemistry

How many valence electrons does hydrogen have? A. 0 B. 1 C. 2 D. 3
12 months agoReport content

Answer

Full Solution Locked

Sign in to view the complete step-by-step solution and unlock all study resources.

Step 1:
: Understand the problem

The problem asks for the number of valence electrons in a hydrogen atom. Valence electrons are the outermost electrons in an atom and are involved in the formation of chemical bonds with other atoms.

Step 2:
: Recall relevant information

Hydrogen is in the first period of the periodic table and has an atomic number of 1. This means that there is only one proton in the nucleus and one electron orbiting around it.

Step 3:
: Determine the number of valence electrons

Since hydrogen is in the first period, it has only one energy level. The sole electron in a hydrogen atom is in the 1s orbital, which is the lowest energy level and is also called the valence shell. Therefore, hydrogen has 1 valence electron.

Step 4:
: Select the correct answer

Now that we know hydrogen has 1 valence electron, we can look at the answer choices and select the correct one: B. 1

Final Answer

Hydrogen has 1 valence electron.