octet rule

Categories: Site glossary

a heuristic ('rule of thumb') in chemistry for identifying viable species (molecules, ions…)

although a useful rule of thumb, it is often adopted by students as the basis for an (invalid) explanatory principle ('the full outer shells explanatory principle').

Red about 'the full outer shells explanatory principle'

Author: Keith

Former school and college science teacher, teacher educator, research supervisor, and research methods lecturer. Emeritus Professor of Science Education at the University of Cambridge.