The electrons held on the highest energy level and are held most loosely are called what?

• A. Valence electrons
• B. Ion
• C. Electron dot diagram
• D. Polyatomic ions

Answer: (A)

Outer-shell electrons are called valence electrons. They sit on the highest energy level and feel less pull from the nucleus because the inner electrons shield them and they’re farther away. That weaker attraction makes them the ones held most loosely, so they’re the ones that are easily removed or shared in bonding, which is why they’re so important for chemical properties and reactivity. A charged particle formed when atoms gain or lose electrons is called an ion, but that term doesn’t describe which electrons are in the outermost shell. A Lewis electron-dot diagram is just a way to show the valence electrons, not a label for the actual outer electrons themselves. Polyatomic ions are groups of atoms carrying charge, not a description of the outermost electrons.