Talk:Octet rule

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[edit] Ozone exception

The article mentions that ozone does not have an octet...does this refer to one of the less stable resonance structures? I am assuming this is the case for carbon monoxide.--GregRM 19:42, 26 March 2006 (UTC)

This is wrong. I think the author is confused with the fact that atoms in those molecules have formal charge. But they definitely do follow the octet rule. --Spoon! 20:08, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Elftor's rule of octet

http://elftor.com/elftor.php?number=189 he just made it up without knowing that it exists, right? --Ruben 15:10, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

Knowing Elftor, the author probably knew what the Octet rule and Grimm's Law were. However, as the strip has absolutely nothing to do with the Octet rule (or Grimm's Law), I don't think it really bears mention. - User:69.110.129.129 (Talk) 11 November 2006

[edit] But why?

Could anyone list a sound physical reason why atoms tend to react until their valence shell is full? I know I understood this once, probably after taking an QM class years ago, but I can't remember or find this information. --User:67.169.18.217 (talk) 1 July 2006

In short, electron pairs, acting as little spinning magnets, are favored due to "electron spin coupling" effects, in which 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, etc., are all favorable shell filling numbers; however, the "crowding effect" of having too many negative charges, which are attracted to the positive nucleus, located in one area creates a break-up tendency such that a crowd of 8 is optimal, kind of similar to the 150 of the Dunbar's number phenomenon or similar to why elements past atomic number 92, i.e. uranium, become unstable. I hope this helps? --Sadi Carnot 15:48, 20 December 2006 (UTC)