| Element | Symbol | Atomic Number | Valence Electrons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen | H | 1 | 1 |
| Helium | He | 2 | 2 |
| Lithium | Li | 3 | 1 |
| Beryllium | Be | 4 | 2 |
| Boron | B | 5 | 3 |
| Carbon | C | 6 | 4 |
| Nitrogen | N | 7 | 5 |
| Oxygen | O | 8 | 6 |
| Fluorine | F | 9 | 7 |
| Neon | Ne | 10 | 8 |
| Sodium | Na | 11 | 1 |
| Magnesium | Mg | 12 | 2 |
| Aluminum | Al | 13 | 3 |
| Silicon | Si | 14 | 4 |
| Phosphorus | P | 15 | 5 |
| Sulfur | S | 16 | 6 |
| Chlorine | Cl | 17 | 7 |
| Argon | Ar | 18 | 8 |
Key Points:
* Valence Electrons: These are the electrons in the outermost energy level of an atom. They are the ones involved in chemical bonding.
* Periodic Trends: The number of valence electrons generally increases as you move from left to right across a period (row) in the periodic table. The number resets to 1 at the start of each new period.
* Exceptions: Some elements, particularly in the transition metals, have more complicated electron configurations, and their valence electron count may not follow this simple pattern.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
