After forming H2, each hydrogen atom attains the electronic configuration of helium, which has two electrons in its K shell, making it more stable.
Why is hydrogen’s electronic configuration after forming H2 similar to that of helium?
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After forming H2, each hydrogen atom attains the electronic configuration of helium, which has two electrons in its K shell, making it more stable.
In the process of forming H₂, each hydrogen atom contributes one electron to the shared electron pair, resulting in a molecular orbital structure where both electrons are shared between the two atoms. This sharing of electrons allows each hydrogen atom to achieve a stable, filled electron shell, similar to that of helium.
Both helium and the hydrogen molecule (H₂) have a filled outer electron shell with two electrons, following the duet rule, which states that the most stable electron configuration for atoms is achieved when the outer electron shell is filled with two electrons, resembling the electron configuration of helium. Therefore, the electronic configuration of hydrogen after forming H₂ is similar to helium due to the sharing of electrons between hydrogen atoms, resulting in a stable configuration with a filled outer shell.
Hydrogen’s electronic configuration after forming H₂ is similar to helium because both configurations follow the duet rule. In its isolated state, hydrogen has one electron in its outermost shell. When two hydrogen atoms share electrons to form H₂, they achieve a stable electronic configuration by sharing a pair of electrons. This results in each hydrogen atom effectively having two electrons in its outer shell, resembling helium’s stable electronic configuration. Both configurations adhere to the duet rule, which states that achieving a filled outer shell with two electrons leads to enhanced stability, similar to the noble gas helium.