What role do valence electrons play in chemical bonding?

Valence electrons are crucial in chemical bonding as they are the electrons located in the outermost shell of an atom. These electrons are directly involved in the interactions between atoms, leading to the formation of various types of chemical bonds.

In ionic bonding, valence electrons are transferred from one atom to another, resulting in the formation of positively and negatively charged ions. This transfer of electrons allows atoms to achieve a full outer shell, which is often stable.

In covalent bonding, valence electrons are shared between atoms, allowing each atom to attain a more stable electron configuration. This sharing can occur in a variety of combinations and arrangements, depending on how many electrons are needed for each atom to complete its outer shell.

The involvement of valence electrons in both ionic and covalent bonds makes them essential to understanding chemical reactivity and stability. This role demonstrates the flexibility and significance of valence electrons in different types of bonding, reinforcing why option C is the correct choice. Other options incorrectly limit the role of valence electrons to specific scenarios or incorrectly imply that they do not participate in bonding interactions.