Define Valency. Give Valency of Copper and Iron

Q. Define valency. Give valency of copper and iron.

Copper is an atomic element with the symbol Cu and the atomic number 29. It’s a malleable, ductile metal with high thermal and electrical conductivity. Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and the atomic number 26. It is a metal from the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table.

The valence or valency of an element in chemistry is a measure of its ability to mix with other atoms to form chemical compounds or molecules. The number of hydrogen atoms with which an atom of a particular element may combine defines its combining capacity or affinity. 

Carbon in methane has a valence of 4, nitrogen in ammonia has a valence of 3, oxygen in water has a valence of 2, and chlorine in hydrogen chloride has a valence of 1. A compound’s valence diagram shows how the elements are related, with lines drawn between two components, also known as bonds, to illustrate saturated valencies for each element. 

To produce a stable electron configuration, an atom’s valency is defined as the number of electrons it must lose or gain. The valency of the same element may change owing to the diverse circumstances under which a chemical reaction occurs. As a result, the valency of metals such as lead, tin, copper, mercury, iron, and others varies. 

In most circumstances, metals contribute electrons from their valence shell to generate positively charged ions. In contrast, certain metals lose electrons from the shell close to the valence shell. In this case, the element possesses more than one electropositive valency.

Cu has an atomic number of 29, and its valency is 1, 2.

Fe has an atomic number of 26 and a valency of 3, 2.