[HelloMotto]

ok so im reading this example in my text book, and the example is a lewis structure of CH2O.

one of the step says "Determine the total number of electrons required for each atom in teh structure to achieve a noble gas configuration. This would be 8 electrons for C and 8 electrons for O (to fill their respective valence energu levels and 2 electrons for H."

why is it 8 electrons for carbon? shouldnt it be 4 electrons to acquire noble gas configuration? shouldn't it be 2 electrons for Oxygen? I'm so clueless...

please help me out.

[ARGOS++]

Dear HelloMotto;

It doesn’t describe neither how many valence electrons they have, nor how many electrons they additional needs or have to loos to reach their noble gas state.

The question simply asks how many electrons the corresponding nobel gas state for each atom has to contain.

I hope to have been of help to you.
Good Luck!
                    ARGOS⁺⁺

[HelloMotto]

I honestly dont understand that :-(.
why is it only 2 electrons for hydrogen and not 8?

[ARGOS++]

Dear HelloMotto;

Simpler spoken:
     The noble state for carbon and for oxygen is Neon; and how many outer electrons Neon has?
     The noble state for hydrogen is Helium; and how many outer electrons Helium has?
That’s all!

Good Luck!
                    ARGOS⁺⁺

[HelloMotto]

ok i think im starting to understand. What would be the noble gas config for lets say chlorine?

[ARGOS++]

Dear HelloMotto;

Chlorine is in the third period so Argon marks its "nearest" noble state.

Good Luck!
                    ARGOS⁺⁺

[HelloMotto]

so it would also need 8 electrons right?
for bromine, would it be 18 electrons?