What type of element typically has more than two valence electrons?

Non-metals are typically characterized by having more than two valence electrons. In the periodic table, non-metals are found on the right side and include elements such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur, and selenium. These elements often have four, five, six, or even seven valence electrons, which allows them to form various types of bonds by either sharing or gaining electrons in chemical reactions.

The higher number of valence electrons contributes to their tendency to form covalent bonds with other non-metals, as they seek to fill their outermost electron shell to achieve stability, usually corresponding to eight electrons in the shell (the octet rule). For instance, carbon has four valence electrons and commonly forms four bonds, while oxygen has six and typically forms two bonds.

Metals, on the other hand, usually have one or two valence electrons, which they tend to lose in chemical reactions, making them more likely to form positive ions. Noble gases, like helium and neon, typically have a complete outer shell with eight electrons (except for helium, which has two) and are known for their lack of reactivity due to that stable configuration. The term "all electrons" does not accurately represent a specific category of elements