Why does beryllium lose two electrons when it’s orbitals are already full?

manpreet Best Answer 2 years ago

I have a rudimentary understanding of orbitals, as in what they are, the s://forum.tuteehub.com/tag/shapes">shapes (l, I think) and of the principles.

So I was doing the electronic configuration for beryllium, it has 4 electrons. So 1s², 2s². Why does berylium lose two electrons to complete its “inner duplet”? I thought that atoms want to gain, lose or share electrons so their orbitals are complete and thus don’t react.

It’s orbitals are complete, is it something to do with the promotion of an electron to a higher energy level, but won’t that be temporary change? Or perhaps there is some fundamental misunderstanding on my part.

(I’m in my IGCSE, this isn’t in our syllabus, just trying to understand, so I hope my ignorance is forgiven)

Edit: I am not familiar with hybridisation but I don’t think it applies to this, unless you are giving a bonding example)