valence (Charge)
Valence, in chemistry, refers to the ability of an atom to bond with other atoms, determined by the number of electrons in its outer shell. Atoms with a full outer shell are generally stable and do not readily bond, while those with incomplete shells tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve stability. This behavior is crucial in forming molecules and compounds.
The concept of valence is closely related to the idea of ionic charge, which indicates whether an atom has a positive or negative charge based on its electron configuration. For example, sodium has a valence of +1, while chlorine has a valence of -1, allowing them to form the compound sodium chloride.