alleryStart learning →A monatomic anion typically forms when a nonmetal atom gains enough electrons to reach:
AThe next noble gas configuration
BA half-filled inner shell
CThe previous noble gas count
DAn empty outer p orbital
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. The next noble gas configuration
1. Most monatomic anions form when a neutral nonmetal atom gains electrons.
2. It gains enough to completely fill its outer s and p orbitals.
3. That brings it to the electron configuration of the next noble gas.
4. Oxygen, for example, has the configuration 1s2 2s2 2p4, whereas the oxygen anion has neon's 1s2 2s2 2p6.
5. Reaching the previous noble gas would mean losing electrons instead.
_Source: OpenStax Chemistry 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 7 'Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry', sections 7.1-7.6_
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