Here's why:
* Valence Electrons: These are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom, which are involved in chemical bonding.
* Oxygen's Configuration: Oxygen has 8 electrons total. Its electron configuration is 2, 6. This means it has 6 valence electrons.
* Full Outer Shell: For most atoms, a full outer shell has 8 electrons (this is known as the octet rule).
* To Achieve Stability: Oxygen needs to gain 2 more electrons to achieve a full outer shell of 8 electrons. This makes it more stable.
