Valence Electron

In chemistry, a valence electron is an electron that is associated with an atom, and that can participate in the formation of a chemical bond; in a single covalent bond, both atoms in the bond contribute one valence electron in order to form a shared pair. The presence of valence electrons can determine the element's chemical properties and whether it may bond with other elements: For a main group element, a valence electron can only be in the outermost electron shell. In a transition metal, a valence electron can also be in an inner shell.

An atom with a closed shell of valence electrons (corresponding to an electron configuration s2p6) tends to be chemically inert. An atom with one or two valence electrons more than a closed shell is highly reactive, because the extra valence electrons are easily removed to form a positive ion. An atom with one or two valence electrons fewer than a closed shell is also highly reactive, because of a tendency either to gain the missing valence electrons (thereby forming a negative ion), or to share valence electrons (thereby forming a covalent bond).

Like an electron in an inner shell, a valence electron has the ability to absorb or release energy in the form of a photon. This gain or loss of energy can trigger an electron to move (jump) to a more outer shell or even break free from its associated atom's valence shell; this is known as atomic excitation. When an electron loses energy (thereby causing photons to be emitted), then it moves to a more inner shell.