the energy levels also play into account(i just passed high school chem so dont expect me to be a chem major) if you have a full energy level(the first being 2 like in helium), the atom is stable and it take a lot of energy to change that. the next element’s outer energy level is 7 electrons away from being full, so it wants to lose 1 electron. same with boron, just with 6 electrons and it wants to loose 2 electrons.
the energy levels also play into account(i just passed high school chem so dont expect me to be a chem major) if you have a full energy level(the first being 2 like in helium), the atom is stable and it take a lot of energy to change that. the next element’s outer energy level is 7 electrons away from being full, so it wants to lose 1 electron. same with boron, just with 6 electrons and it wants to loose 2 electrons.