M4 Periodic
Table: Chemical Change
Slide 32 of 35
Why do elements
react with one another?
Elements react with each other because
they are energetically unstable.
Atoms of noble gases are energetically
stable while the rest of the elements in the periodic table are not.
–Atoms of noble gases are energetically
stable because their valence shells contain the maximum number of electrons that they can
accommodate.
So, atoms of other elements try to
attain a similar electronic structure as those of noble gases and they do so by reacting with other
elements.
Atoms of other elements achieve the same
electronic structure as a noble gas by either losing electrons, or gaining electrons or sharing electrons
between themselves.
