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The concept of a valence shell is fundamental in understanding an atom's behavior and chemical properties. The valence shell is the outermost shell of an atom and holds the electrons that are involved in chemical bonding. For the hydrogen atom, this is the first and only shell.
The valence shell determines how atoms will interact and bond with each other. In atoms like hydrogen, which has only one valence electron in the 1s orbital, this outer shell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons. This means there is space for one more electron, allowing hydrogen to easily form bonds by accepting or sharing an electron from another atom.
The capacity of the valence shell is crucial because it influences an atom's reactivity and its ability to combine with other atoms to form molecules.

The hydrogen atom is the simplest and most basic example we have in chemistry, consisting of just one proton in its nucleus and a single electron in its orbit. In terms of electron configuration, this solitary electron resides in the first energy level or shell.
In representing the electron configuration of hydrogen, we write it as 1s¹. This means that the single electron is located in the orbital known as the 's orbital' of the first shell. This configuration sets the stage for understanding bond formation and molecule creation with hydrogen's strong tendency to fill its valence shell by interacting with other atoms.
Simple yet fundamental, the behavior of the hydrogen atom provides insights into more complex electron configurations in heavier elements.

The s orbital is one of the basic building blocks in understanding electron configurations. These orbitals are spherical in shape and exist at every principal energy level within an atom.
For hydrogen, the s orbital of the first energy level, hence called the 1s orbital, holds the atom's only electron. Important characteristics of the s orbital include its ability to hold a maximum of 2 electrons. This rule applies regardless of the energy level the s orbital is in.
Because of their shape and electron capacity, s orbitals are often the first to fill as electrons are added to an atom. Understanding s orbitals help clarify why the valence shell of hydrogen, which has only one electron in its 1s orbital, can accommodate one more electron to satisfy its shell capacity.