Valence Electrons & Lewis Dot Diagrams - what are they and how do I draw them?

This video tutorial explains the concept of valence electrons, their role in chemical bonding, and how to represent them using Lewis dot diagrams. It covers the octet rule, which states that atoms aim to have eight valence electrons for stability. The tutorial provides examples of drawing Lewis dot diagrams for elements like carbon, nitrogen, chlorine, aluminum, and calcium, emphasizing the importance of not pairing dots unless necessary. The video also touches on how gaining or losing electrons leads to the formation of cations and anions.

How do you determine the number of valence electrons for an element?

Describe the process of gaining and losing electrons in relation to cations and anions.