Now the elements of the periodic table will either lose or gain electrons to become just like the noble gases. Now remember, your noble gases are the elements that are found in Group 8A or group 18. So remember two different ways to describe the same column of the periodic table. The reason these elements want to become the noble gas is because noble gases themselves have the optimal number of outer shell electrons.
What that means specifically? We'll talk about several chapters from now. Just realized when it comes to the elements, they'll either lose or gain electrons so that their number of electrons matches one of the nearest noble gases. Now we're going to say here, when it comes to metals, metals tend to lose electrons to become positively charged ions called cations. Here, just think of it like this. Cations at T could represent the positive charge that the ion gains. And it makes sense, because if you're losing negatively charged subatomic particles in the form of electrons, you're going to become more positively charged.
Now metals themselves. Metals can have either one type of positive charge or multiple types of positive charges. When a metal possesses 1 charge, we refer to them as type 1 metals. When metals have multiple charges then they referred to as type 2 metals. We'll go in greater detail on what types of metals are type 1 metals and what other types of metals are type 2 metals. Now if metals lose electrons then non metals must be gaining electrons. So non metals tend to gain electrons to become negatively charged ions called anions.
Remember again, this makes sense. I'm gaining negatively charged electrons, so I'm going to become more negative as a result. So just remember, the whole reason elements gain and lose electrons is to become just like the noble gases. In the next video, we'll see exactly how many electrons will we lose or gain for any particular element.