Ion Charges

[GrewTheJew]

            Hey there, I'm doing a small project about the element lead, and I am supposed to write some stuff about the ion charges and I realized that there was two different charges. One that says +2 and then just below it, +4. I'm wondering what that actually means, and if I was going to write it down, should I write a +6, or just +2 and a +4 underneath it. Thanks, I would really appreciate a simple answer, please very simple, since I have to finish the whole project by Monday. I have also spent about twenty five minutes researching and nothing comes up. I already know what the ion charges are and stuff, but I just don't know what the second number is for example: lithium has a charge of +(1) and has 3 protons. that means it has 2 electrons etc. A quick summary, simple answer of what the second number means, and the relation to the first number (if there is any)

            Thank you,

-GrewTheJew

                                                                                              

Edited November 4, 2018 by GrewTheJew
needed to add more information to get the best answer possible

[Sensei]

Electrons around nucleus are occupying electron shells and subshells.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron_shell

 

Neutral Lithium has 3 protons, 3 electrons in configuration 1s², 2s¹, but has just one valence electron on 2s¹ which is given away if it's in ionic form.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valence_electron

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron_configuration

 

Edited November 4, 2018 by Sensei

[GrewTheJew]

I understand all that already Sensei, however I still need to know why there are two numbers for charge, a +2 & +4.

[StringJunky]

Disclaimer: I'm not a chemist.  I read a bit. In most situations, Pb will lose two electrons but can do  four covalent bonds in other reaction types. It has an inert pair in the outer shell which you could Google. In short, it is because it is not exclusively one or the other; it has both those charges.

https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/49296/bond-type-of-lead-metallic-or-network-covalent

Edited November 4, 2018 by StringJunky

[John Cuthber]

Lead forms two different chlorides.
PbCl₂

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead(II)_chloride

and PbCl₄ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_tetrachloride

depending on whether it loses 2 electrons or 4

There are other, similar compounds (the Pb(IV) compounds are generally less stable)

[studiot]

Quote

I have also spent about twenty five minutes researching and nothing comes up

 

Tetra Ethyl Lead is probably the most famous tetravalent lead compound.

It was used as the anti knock agent in petrol for more than half a century before being discontinued.

Edited November 4, 2018 by studiot