Chemical Bonding Introduction

There are more than hundred elements around us. But, we do not find these elements in their native form. This is because most of these elements are highly reactive. They interact with each other to form simple or complex substances. Only elements with the noble gas configuration have no tendency to react . This is because of their completely filled outermost electronic configuration of ns² np⁶. This type of electronic structure gives stability to the element making them less reactive. All the other elements that do not have this type of configuration aim to achieve so. They attain the noble gas configuration by combining with each other either by gaining or losing energy. The chemical reactivity of any element is thus related to the number and distribution of electrons in its atom and the energy changes involved therein. Lower the energy of a system greater is its stability. Hence any change that gives the elements extra stability by losing or gaining electrons, occurs spontaneously.