Why are some atoms unstable or electronegative?
Atoms do not become unstable because of any imbalance between protons of electrons. The force holding protons and neutrons together in an atom is called the Strong Force and it is far stronger than electrical attraction between electrons and protons. In their ‘natural state’ all atoms are electrically neutral.. neither positive of negative. The very basis of chemistry is that atoms can accommodate a certain number of electrons at any given energy level, In the outermost levels though, a given atom might be able to accommodate far more than it actually has. For example, oxygen has 8 protons and in its second energy level can accommodate 18 electrons. However, having ‘used up’ two electrons in its first level, only six remain, so there are 12 ‘vacancies’ in the second level. Atoms do though have certain preferential, stable configurations and electrons like to be in ‘sub-levels’ of eight electrons. Therefore there are two vacancies in oxygen’s second level. It is these two vacancies in o
