Chemical Reactions

Chemical Reactions

by Anthony Carpi, Ph.D.

The reaction of two or more elements together results in the formation of a chemical bond between atoms and the formation of a chemical compound (see our Chemical Bonding module). In the late 1890s, the Scottish chemist Sir discovered the elements helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon. These elements, along with radon, were placed in group VIIIA of the periodic table and nicknamed inert (or noble) gases because of their tendency not to react with other elements (see our Periodic Table page). The tendency of the noble gases to not react with other elements has to do with their electron configurations.In their atomic states, sodium has one valence electron and chlorine has seven.