Radon Valence Electrons
Why radon has 8
Radon has 86 electrons, arranged as 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p6. The highest shell is n = 6, holding 6s2 6p6, so 2 + 6 = 8.
Radon is in group 18; for groups 13–18 subtract 10 from the group number.
What that means for bonding
With a full outer shell, radon has no drive to gain, lose or share electrons, which is why it is so unreactive.
Electrons per shell: 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 8. See the radon electron configuration and orbital diagram or the full radon data sheet.
Same group, same count
Radon valence electrons FAQ
How many valence electrons does radon have?
Radon has 8 valence electrons. Its electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁶ 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p⁶, and the outermost shell (n = 6) holds 6s² + 6p⁶.
How do you find the valence electrons of radon?
Radon is in group 18; for groups 13–18 subtract 10 from the group number.
How many bonds does radon form?
With a full outer shell, radon has no drive to gain, lose or share electrons, which is why it is so unreactive.
What is the Lewis dot structure of radon?
The symbol Rn with 8 dots around it, one per valence electron, placed singly on each side before any side is paired.
How many core electrons does radon have?
78: 86 electrons in total minus the 8 valence electrons.