Question

Use the periodic table to answer the following questions.

(C) Identify an element that would tend to gain two electrons.

Answer 1

Element that would tend to gain two electrons

An element tends to gain two electrons if it needs only two electrons to attain the stable noble gas configuration.

Thus, the general electronic configuration of such an element should be $n{s}^{2}n{p}^4$. This is the electronic configuration of the oxygen family, i.e., the element can be $O\left(2p^4\right),S\left(3p^4\right),Se\left(4p^4\right),Te\left(5p^4\right),Po\left(6p^4\right).$