What is the charge of the ion formed by selenium, Se?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

To address the question, let’s consider the typical charge Selenium forms when it gains electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration.
Option -1: This would imply selenium gains only one electron. In practice, selenium, a group 16 element, more commonly reaches a full valence shell by gaining two electrons to become Se2−, so a -1 charge is not the standard or most stable oxidation state for selenium.
Option -2: This is the conventional and most stable ion formed by selenium in ionic compounds. By gaining two electrons, selenium attains the electron configuration of krypton, yielding the selenide ion (Se2−). This matches the familiar pattern for chalcogens forming −2 anions.
Option -3: A -3 charge would require selenium to gain three electrons. This would be atypical for selenium and is not supported by common chemical behavior of group 16 elements, which favor two extra electrons rather than three.
Option +2: A positive charge would mean selenium is losing electrons. While some elements form cations, selenium predominantly forms anions in ionic substances; a +2 charge would not reflect its typical chemistry and would misrepresent its tendency to gain electrons rather than lose them.
In summary, the scenarios with -1, -3, or +2 do not align with selenium’s standard behavior as a group 16 element that most frequently forms the Se2− ion in compounds. The most characteristic and widely observed charge for selenium anions is −2, corresponding to the selenide ion.

What is the charge of the ion formed by selenium, Se?

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