Question

What is the octet rule of oxygen?

Answer 1

The octet rule is the understanding that most atoms seek to gain stability in their outer most energy level by filling the s and p orbitals of the highest energy level with eight electrons.

Oxygen has an electron configuration of `1s^2 2s^2 2p^4` this means that oxygen has six valence electrons `2s^2 2p^4`. Oxygen seeks out two additional electrons to fill the p orbital and gain the stability of a noble gas, `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6`.

However, now oxygen has 10 electrons and only 8 protons making it a -2 charge anion `O^(-2)`.

I hope this was helpful.
SMARTERTEACHER