Valency of Lead (Pb)
Lead shows variable valency — most commonly 2 and 4 — because it is a p-block element whose outer electrons can join bonding in more than one way.
This is the fast lane: one page, one fact, zero digressions. Read the quick answer, check the table, and if your exam needs the full derivation, the sections below walk through it step by step — in Bangla and English, like every page here. Need the whole picture instead — history, characteristics, uses, exam questions? The full Lead page is one click away.
Counting the valence electrons
From the configuration [Xe] 4f^14 5d^10 6s^2 6p^2, Lead's outermost shell carries 4 electrons. These are the electrons shown as dots in electron-dot diagrams — the hands Lead uses to hold other atoms.
Position check: Lead belongs to group 14 of the periodic table, period 6. For main-group elements in groups 13–18, a quick rule is valency = group number − 10, which gives 4 here.
Why Lead has more than one valency
The common valencies are 2 and 4. Both the outer s electrons and the nearby (n−1)d electrons sit close in energy, so Lead can offer different numbers of them in different compounds — giving ions such as Pb²⁺ and Pb⁴⁺ and families of compounds like PbX / Pb₄X₂.
Valency vs valence electrons
Valence electrons are what you count (4 for Lead); valency is what the atom will do to complete its outer shell (2 and 4 here). Keep the two words straight and half the periodic-table chapter writes itself.
Students also ask
How do I find the valency of Lead from its group?
Lead sits in group 14; groups 13–17 follow valency = group − 10, giving 4 (though Lead also shows 2 and 4).
Why does Lead show variable valency?
Because both its outer shell and the nearby inner subshell can participate in bonding, Lead forms more than one stable ion — hence valencies 2 and 4.