Which of the Following Could Accept One (And Only One)

Question

Which of the following could accept one (and only one) electron?
A) carbon (atomic number = 6)
B) nitrogen (atomic number = 7)
C) oxygen (atomic number = 8)
D) hydrogen (atomic number = 1)

Accepted Answer

Hydrogen has only one electron in its outermost shell, so it can accept one more electron to achieve a stable configuration. Carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen have multiple electrons in their outermost shells and are more likely to share electrons or gain/lose multiple electrons.