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GCSE Chemistry · key term
An electron in the outermost occupied shell of an atom; it is the electron involved when a Group 1 atom forms a positive ion.
Used by Edexcel
Specification 6.5 · Paper 2
Revise: Explanation of Reactivity PatternGoing down the group, each atom has an additional occupied shell. Its outer electron is further from the positively charged nucleus, and the inner electrons shield it from some of the nucleus’s attraction. The outer electron is therefore easier to lose.
Link the trend to electron loss: down Group 1, the outer electron is further from the nucleus and more shielded by inner shells, so it is lost more easily.
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