The conversation between human and AI assistant.
Changing the number of electrons does what to the element?
Can you tell me why some elements are reactive and others are not?
The reactivity of an element depends on its electron configuration. Elements with a complete outer shell of electrons, such as the noble gases, are typically unreactive because they have no need to gain or lose electrons to achieve stability. On the other hand, elements with incomplete outer shells, such as the alkali metals, are more likely to react with other elements to gain the stability of a complete outer shell.