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Chapter 6: Problem 27

A helium atom has only two electrons. Why does helium behave as a noble gas?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Helium behaves as a noble gas because its 1s orbital is fully filled, making it stable and inert.

Step by step solution

01

- Understanding Electron Configuration

First, understand the electron configuration of a helium atom. Helium has an atomic number of 2, which means it has 2 electrons. These electrons fill the 1s orbital, the lowest energy level, yielding the configuration: \[1s^2\].
02

- Stable Electron Configuration

Next, consider the stability of this configuration. When the 1s orbital is completely filled with 2 electrons, the arrangement is highly stable. This is similar to the electron configurations of other noble gases, where the outermost electron shell is full.
03

- Definition of Noble Gases

Define what makes an element a noble gas. Noble gases have fully filled outer electron shells, leading to negligible chemical reactivity, as there are no available electrons to easily form bonds. Helium meets this criterion since its 1s orbital is complete.
04

- Conclusion

Finally, conclude that helium's full 1s orbital makes it chemically inert, resembling the behavior of noble gases, which also have filled electron shells and are very stable.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Electron Configuration
Electron configuration describes the arrangement of electrons in an atom's orbitals. For helium, which has an atomic number of 2, this means it has 2 electrons. These electrons occupy the lowest energy level, which is the 1s orbital. Therefore, the electron configuration of helium is: \[1s^2\]. This notation shows both electrons filling the 1s orbital. Understanding electron configuration helps us grasp why atoms behave differently based on how their electrons are arranged.
Noble Gases
Noble gases are elements in Group 18 of the periodic table. They are known for their chemical inertness, meaning they rarely react with other elements. This is because their outermost electron shells are filled, making them stable. In higher atomic numbers, you might see configurations like \[2s^2 2p^6\], which is the case for neon. Helium, despite having only 2 electrons, behaves like a noble gas because its 1s orbital is fully occupied, leading to a very stable electron arrangement.
Chemical Stability
Chemical stability refers to how likely an atom is to participate in chemical reactions. Atoms with filled outer electron shells are generally very stable because they have no tendency to gain or lose electrons. For helium, this stability is seen in its \[1s^2\] configuration. This means all the possible positions for electrons in the 1s orbital are occupied, so helium does not need to react with other atoms. Other noble gases exhibit similar stability due to their own filled electron shells.
Atomic Structure
To understand why helium behaves as a noble gas, we need to consider atomic structure. Every atom has protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons and neutrons are in the nucleus, and electrons orbit around it in energy levels or orbitals. When these orbitals are filled, the atom becomes stable, like the noble gases. Helium's atomic structure is simple, with just two electrons filling its 1s orbital, resulting in a very stable form. This structure is the reason why helium is inert, similar to other noble gases.

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