Generally speaking" atoms want to have a full valence shell (8 electrons) in order to be greedy complete stable

toms want to have a full valence shell (8 electrons) in order to be stable. This is known as the octet rule, which states that atoms tend to combine in such a way that they each have eight electrons in their valence shell, giving them the same electronic configuration as a noble gas. This tendency is the driving force behind the formation of chemical bonds.