How do atoms react with each other to form other substances?
I don't know what grade you are in but if this is not understandable, please clarify and repost. Many metals react with many non-metals with the metal losing electrons (forming a positive ion) and the non-metal gaining those electrons (forming a negative ion). That bond is called an ionic bond. Other atoms don't lose their electrons easily and they share electrons with another element. That is called a covalent bond. These are the two primaary types of bonds. I hope this helps.
Atoms react with each other to form other substances through chemical reactions. The way atoms react depends on the nature of the atoms involved and their electron configurations.
In general, atoms can either gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration, which is usually a full outermost energy level of electrons. The outermost energy level, also known as the valence shell, is the most important in determining how atoms will react.
Ionic bonding occurs when one atom transfers one or more electrons to another atom. This results in the formation of positive and negative ions that are attracted to each other due to the opposite charges. Ionic compounds are typically formed between metals, which tend to lose electrons and form positive ions, and non-metals, which tend to gain electrons and form negative ions.
Covalent bonding occurs when atoms share electrons to achieve a more stable electron configuration. This type of bonding commonly occurs between non-metal atoms, where they share electrons to complete their valence shell. Covalent bonds can be either single, double, or triple bonds, depending on the number of electrons being shared.
Chemical reactions involve the breaking and forming of bonds between atoms. This can result in the rearrangement of atoms to form new substances. The reaction will occur if the reactant atoms have a higher potential energy than the product atoms, resulting in a more stable configuration.
To understand how and why atoms react with each other, it is helpful to study the periodic table, which organizes elements based on their atomic properties. Additionally, learning about the concepts of valence electrons, electron configurations, and bonding theories will provide more insight into the reactions of atoms.