Which of the following elements does not form bonds easily because it has a full outer shell?
A. Aluminum
B. Carbon
C. Helium
D. Calcium
What family is Helium in?
Helium
To determine which of the elements does not form bonds easily because it has a full outer shell, we need to understand the concept of valence electrons.
Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom. They play a crucial role in determining the element's reactivity and ability to form chemical bonds. Generally, atoms tend to be more stable when their outermost shell is complete with the maximum number of electrons.
Now, analyzing each option:
A. Aluminum: Aluminum belongs to Group 13 of the periodic table and has 3 valence electrons. It does not have a full outer shell.
B. Carbon: Carbon belongs to Group 14 of the periodic table and has 4 valence electrons. It does not have a full outer shell.
C. Helium: Helium belongs to Group 18, the noble gases, and it has a full outer shell with 2 electrons. This means it has the maximum number of valence electrons possible and does not readily form bonds. Therefore, helium does not form bonds easily because it has a full outer shell.
D. Calcium: Calcium belongs to Group 2, and it has 2 valence electrons. While it does not have a completely full outer shell, it is important to note that elements in Group 2 tend to form ionic bonds easily by losing their valence electrons to achieve a full outer shell.
Based on the above analysis, the correct answer is C. Helium.