I apologize for the incorrect information in my previous response. Neon (Ne) actually has 8 valence electrons, not 2.
Neon belongs to Group 18 of the periodic table, which is also known as the noble gases or inert gases. The noble gases have a full valence shell, making them highly stable and unreactive. In the case of neon, its atomic number is 10, and its electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶.
The valence electrons of an atom are the electrons in the outermost energy level or valence shell. For neon, the outermost energy level is the second energy level, and it contains a total of 8 electrons (2 in the 2s orbital and 6 in the 2p orbitals). Since the second energy level can hold up to 8 electrons, neon has a complete valence shell with 8 electrons, making it stable and unreactive.
The stability of noble gases arises from the fact that their valence shells are completely filled, following the octet rule. This stability makes noble gases relatively nonreactive and explains their limited tendency to form chemical compounds with other elements.