Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Valence electrons are the outermost electrons in an atom that participate in chemical bonding. They determine the reactivity and chemical properties of an element.
Related terms
Electron configuration: The arrangement of electrons within an atom's energy levels and sublevels.
Lewis dot structure: A diagram that represents the valence electrons of an atom using dots around its symbol.
Octet rule: The tendency for atoms to gain, lose, or share electrons in order to achieve a stable electron configuration with eight valence electrons.