VALENCY

ANIRBAN DASGUPTA
Definition of Valency: It is the combining
capacity of an atom of the element or of a
radical.
It is also defined as the number of hydrogen
atoms that will combine with or displace one
atom of that element or radical.
Valency of hydrozen taken as 1.
Valency of Cl is 1 as in HCl one atom of Cl
Combines with one atom of hydrozen.
Similarly, valency of Oxygen is 2 as one atom of oxygen comines with 2
atom of hydrozen.
There are two types of valency—
a) Positive Valency
b) Negative Valency
Positive Valency : Metals have one or two or three electrons
in their outermost shell, known as valence shell. They tend
to donate these eletrons and when they lose electrons they
becomes positively charged atoms or cations. The number of
electrons donated by an atom is equal to its electropositive
valency.
 Negative valency :: Non-metals have 5 to 7 electrons in
their outermost shell. They tend to accept electrons
from other elements so as to have 8 electrons in their
outermost shell. The number of electrons accepted is
called electronegative valency.
What is happened for elements having 4 valence
electrons? They donot donate 4 electrons or accept
electrons... rather they want to share their electrons
with other to fulfill the octate.
In the next page I show how to calculate valency
from electronic configuration of an element.
 Octate Rule
Except atom like H, Li, Be the tendency of atoms
prefer to have 8 electrons in the last energy
shell to have the stable atomic structure of
nearest inert gas whose E C are shown below.
Nobel Gas. EC
He 2 Duplet
Ne 2 8
Ar 2 8 8
Kr 2 8 18 8
Xe 2 8 18 18 8
Rn 2 8 18 32 18 8
Atomic Number Element Symbol E.C NO. of in valency
Last shell

1 Hydrogen H 1 1 +1

2 Helium He 2 2 0
3 Lithium Li 2,1 1 +1

4 Beryllium Be 2,2 2 +2
5 Boron B 2,3 3 +3

6 Carbon C 2,4 4 4
7 Nitrogen N 2,5 5 -3

8 Oxygen O 2,6 6 _2

9 Fluorine F 2,7 7 -1

10 Neon Ne 2,8 8 0
11 Sodium Na 2,8,1 1 +1

12 Magnesium Mg 2,8,2 2 +2
13 Aluminium Al 2,8,3 3 +3

14 Silicon Si 2,8,4 4 4
15 Phosphorus P 2,8,5 5 -3

16 Sulfur S 2,8,6 6 -2

17 Chlorine Cl 2,8,7 7 -1

18 Argon Ar 2,8,8 8 0
19 Potassium K 2,8,8,1 1 +1

20 Calcium Ca 2,8,8,2 2 +2
 Variable Valency

Certain elements have more than one valency.

Metals like Nickel , Copper, Tin, mercury and iron
etc exhibit variable valency where as non metals
like nitrogen, oxygen etc also have variable
valency.
For naming when the valency is in lower state
we add ‘ous’ term beside the name of metal and
for higher valency we add ‘ic’ term.
For example copper has two valency
1 and 2
For valency ie 1 , for example, Cuprous Oxide
For higher valency , for example, Cupric Oxide.
• Write the formula of

• 1 Argentous Chloride
• 2 Argentic Fluoride
Naming of Polyatomic Acid radicals
• Write the formula
• 1 Ammonium Phosphate
• 2 Zinc Phosphate.
• 3 Calcium Phosphate.
• 4 Magnesium Phosphide.
• While creating formula careful about valency.