How does the location of hydrogen on the periodic table differ from other nonmetals?

1 Answer
MeneerNask
Oct 7, 2016

It's special, because it has only one electron, while the ideal "noble gas" configuration (helium) would call for two.

Explanation:

So in one way it could 'try' to gain an electron as any element from halogen group (F-Cl-Br...) would do.
On the other hand it could lose its one electron, in which case it would belong to the alkali metals (Li-Na-K...).

In practice, #H# mostly shares its electron, either by covalent bonds, or by donating an electron and working together with #H_2O# to form the #H_3O^+# or 'acid' ion.

In short, #H# is too special to to put it in a specific Group.

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