What is the Difference Between Valence and Core Electrons?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The difference between valence and core electrons lies in their location within an atom and their role in chemical reactions.
Valence electrons:
- Occupy the outermost shell or highest energy level of an atom.
- Can participate in the formation of chemical bonding.
- Determine the chemical reactivity of an atom.
- Are the furthest from the positive charge (protons) and tend to be easier to move away from the atom.
Core electrons:
- Occupy the innermost shell or lowest energy levels of an atom.
- Generally, do not participate in chemical bonding.
- Influence the chemical reactivity of an atom, but not involved in bonding.
- In the inner shells, they have lower energy levels than valence electrons.
In summary, valence electrons reside in the outermost shell of an atom, actively participate in chemical reactions, and determine an atom's chemical reactivity. On the other hand, core electrons are found in the innermost shells, do not participate in chemical reactions, and have lower energy levels than valence electrons.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Valence and Core Electrons? Comparative Table: Valence vs Core Electrons
Comparative Table: Valence vs Core Electrons
The main difference between valence and core electrons lies in their location within the atom and their role in chemical reactions. Here is a table summarizing the differences:
| Property | Valence Electrons | Core Electrons |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Occupy the outermost shell or highest energy level of an atom | Occupy the innermost shell or lower energy levels of an atom |
| Role in Chemical Reactions | Participate in the formation of chemical bonds | Do not participate in the formation of chemical bonds, but influence the chemical reactivity of an atom |
| Energ |
Read more:
- Valency vs Valence Electrons
- Electrovalency vs Covalency
- Valency vs Charge
- Electrovalent vs Covalent Bond
- Ions vs Electrons
- Proton vs Electron
- Valency vs Oxidation State
- Radical vs Valency
- Primary vs Secondary Valency
- Valency vs Oxidation Number
- Valence Shell vs Penultimate Shell
- Valence Band vs Conduction Band
- Electropositive vs Electronegative
- Ionic vs Covalent Bonds
- Molecular Orbital Theory vs Valence Bond Theory
- Molecular Geometry vs Electron Geometry
- Photon vs Electron
- Covalency vs Oxidation State
- Electronegativity vs Polarity