{"id":4182,"date":"2025-03-23T00:37:44","date_gmt":"2025-03-23T00:37:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schools.jove.com\/?p=4182"},"modified":"2026-07-23T16:45:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T16:45:00","slug":"why-do-some-elements-react-more-than-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schools.jove.com\/why-do-some-elements-react-more-than-others\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Do Some Elements React More Than Others? Exploring Valence Electrons in Action"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"4182\" class=\"elementor elementor-4182\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef3dc91 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ef3dc91\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-081d7dd elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"081d7dd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Why Do Some Elements React More Than Others? Exploring Valence Electrons in Action\n<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7090152 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7090152\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44ee0c2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"44ee0c2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><b>Introduction: The Exploding Sodium Surprise<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/solutions\/high-school\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">high school<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> chemistry lab, students watched in awe as their teacher carefully dropped a small piece of sodium into water. Within seconds, the metal sizzled, fizzed, and burst into a bright pink flame.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhy did sodium react so violently?\u201d one student asked.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The answer lies in<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/v\/10657\/electron-behavior-and-valence-electrons\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> valence electrons<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 the outermost electrons that control how elements bond and react. Elements like sodium are highly reactive because they have just one valence <\/span><b>electron<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making them eager to lose it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research supported by the American Chemical Society (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.acs.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ACS<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) and the National Science Teaching Association (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsta.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NSTA<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) emphasizes that visual demonstrations significantly improve student understanding of abstract chemistry concepts like electron configurations and reactivity. Using interactive tools \u2014 such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/science-video\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JoVE\u2019s educational videos<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 allows students to visualize how valence electrons influence chemical behavior, improving retention and comprehension.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this article, we\u2019ll explore the role of valence electrons in chemical reactivity, clear up common misconceptions, and provide classroom activities \u2014 all supported by JoVE\u2019s educational videos to simplify this essential <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/education\/chemistry\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">chemistry<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> concept.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-df603ce e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"df603ce\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dead711 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"dead711\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What Are Valence Electrons?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b91fc0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1b91fc0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-37d5d47 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"37d5d47\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;youtube_url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/watch?v=KKYgXYWqvWg&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;mute&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;cc_load_policy&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;youtube&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-video\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-664ed59 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"664ed59\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Valence electrons are the electrons located in the outermost energy level (shell) of an atom. They are responsible for:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u2705 Determining an element\u2019s chemical reactivity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2705 Forming chemical bonds<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2705 Influencing an element\u2019s position in the periodic table<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Why Are Valence Electrons So Important?<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elements with 1\u20133 valence electrons (like sodium and potassium) tend to lose electrons easily, making them highly reactive metals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elements with 5\u20137 valence electrons (like oxygen and chlorine) tend to gain electrons, making them highly reactive nonmetals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elements with a full outer shell (like helium or neon) are chemically stable and rarely react.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/v\/10657\/electron-behavior-and-valence-electrons\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JoVE\u2019s Valence Electrons Video<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, students can watch visual demonstrations of how electron configurations influence reactivity \u2014 making complex concepts easier to grasp.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef58dab e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ef58dab\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b251fc7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b251fc7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Why Do Some Elements React More Than Others?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fa9ce94 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fa9ce94\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reactivity of an element depends largely on:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. The Number of Valence Electrons<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elements with fewer valence electrons (like alkali metals) are highly reactive because they easily lose their outer electrons.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elements with nearly full outer shells (like halogens) are also highly reactive because they readily gain electrons to complete their shell.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>2. Atomic Size<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Larger atoms have looser outer electrons, making them more reactive. For example, francium is the most reactive metal because its outer electron is easily lost.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>3. Shielding Effect<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In larger atoms, inner electron shells reduce the pull of the nucleus on outer electrons, making those outer electrons easier to remove \u2014 increasing reactivity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/v\/11246\/the-periodic-table\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JoVE\u2019s periodic trends video<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, students can visualize these key factors in action through real-world examples.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c271786 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"c271786\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-febb9a8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"febb9a8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Common Misconceptions About Valence Electrons\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-653800b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"653800b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Students often face confusion when learning about valence electrons. Some common misconceptions include:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u274c Believing that all elements in the same group are equally reactive \u2014 in reality, reactivity trends increase down certain groups.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u274c Assuming noble gases are completely inert \u2014 while rare, some can form compounds under extreme conditions.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u274c Thinking that valence electrons are the same as total electrons \u2014 but valence electrons only refer to the outermost shell.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/standards\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JoVE\u2019s standards aligned visual explanations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> help address these misconceptions by connecting periodic trends to real-world reactions.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f22f062 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f22f062\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Hands-On Classroom Activity: The Valence Electron Challenge\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c023321 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c023321\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This activity allows students to predict and test the reactivity of different elements using a simple experiment.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Materials:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Small samples of sodium, magnesium, and aluminum (handled safely by the instructor)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beakers with water<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phenolphthalein indicator (to observe<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/v\/11497\/ph-acidity-and-basicity-of-aqueous-solutions\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> pH changes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Steps:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Prepare the Beakers:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Fill three beakers with equal amounts of water and add a few drops of phenolphthalein.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Test Reactivity:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Carefully add small pieces of sodium, magnesium, and aluminum to separate beakers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Observe and Record:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Ask students to note differences in reaction speed, bubbling, and color change.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Discuss the Results:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Relate the results to each element\u2019s valence electron count and reactivity trend.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In JoVE\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/science-education\/12887\/radical-reactivity-overview\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reactivity experiment video<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, students can visualize these reactions in detail, reinforcing their learning.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-97f0197 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"97f0197\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Real-World Applications of Valence Electrons\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8d9d028 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8d9d028\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Valence electrons play a crucial role in everyday science and technology:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u2705 <\/span><b>Batteries:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Lithium\u2019s single valence electron makes it ideal for use in rechargeable batteries.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2705 <\/span><b>Water Purification:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Chlorine\u2019s high reactivity enables it to kill bacteria in drinking water.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2705 <\/span><b>Fireworks:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Elements like magnesium and strontium burn brightly because of their energetic electron transfers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/education\/chemistry\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JoVE\u2019s chemistry in action videos<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, students can explore these real-world connections to deepen their understanding.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-22d072d e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"22d072d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-68622e8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"68622e8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Conclusion: Visualizing Chemistry with JoVE Videos<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a61d4f1 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a61d4f1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fe5a523 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fe5a523\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding valence electrons is essential to mastering chemical reactivity. By combining <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/science-video\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JoVE\u2019s interactive videos<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with hands-on experiments like the Valence Electron Challenge, educators can help students visualize abstract concepts and improve their understanding.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Next Steps:<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Explore <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/v\/10657\/electron-behavior-and-valence-electrons\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JoVE\u2019s valence electron resources<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to enhance your lessons<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try the Valence Electron Challenge to make reactivity trends memorable<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encourage students to identify chemical reactions in everyday life \u2014 from rusting metal to the fizzing of antacid tablets<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With engaging visuals and practical experiments, students can unlock the mysteries of why some elements explode while others barely react.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Curious to see how JoVE\u2019s interactive chemistry videos can simplify complex concepts for your students?<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/solutions\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/highschool\/request-trial\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlock full access to JoVE\u2019s library for free. Book a demo with us today<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and empower your students with engaging science resources!<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why Do Some Elements React More Than Others? Exploring Valence Electrons in Action Introduction: The Exploding Sodium Surprise In a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4183,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4182","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ngss-standards"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.8 (Yoast SEO v27.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Valence Electrons and Reactivity Classroom Guide | JoVE K12<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Teach valence electrons with JoVE K12 visuals that help students see why elements react differently and connect structure to chemical behavior during labs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/why-do-some-elements-react-more-than-others\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why Do Some Elements React More Than Others? 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