[P-man]

I forget, and I would like to know: which is more stable, giver or receiver of electrons? I want to say the receiver, because since it is missing electrons, it is really desperate to get them. However, the giver could be just as desperate to get them away.

[Borek]

No such rule.

[Donaldson Tan]

the drive for atoms to donate/accept electron is to achieve stability.

[Korokian]

for the alkili metals, alkali earths, group 3A and group 4A they gain electrons
group 5A 6A and 7A gain electrons for stabability reasons, they want to have the same elctron config as the nearest noble gas

so i guess gaining electrons are easier than losing them

[Mitch]

for the alkili metals, alkali earths, group 3A and group 4A they gain electrons
group 5A 6A and 7A gain electrons for stabability reasons, they want to have the same elctron config as the nearest noble gas

so i guess gaining electrons are easier than losing them

All of that is wrong without placing in proper context. A potassium ion in the gas-phase will not want to give up an electron period. You have to think about what aspects of forming an inorganic salt that makes potassium want to give up an electron in the end.

[P-man]

I mean like which is more reactive (or stable, depending on how you look at it), an ion with too many electrons (negative charge) or an ion with not enough electrons (positive charge)?

[GCT]

In general, redox reactions occur as long as one agents reduction potential is greater then the other, thus there are many combinations to consider.  If you are talking about ionic compound formation, the polarity is relevant to the electronegativity differences, however, it isn't a redox reaction, technically speaking.

Stability has always been a vague concept, so is reactivity.  All of it depends on the exact agents involved as well as the context; trying to understand this uniqueness is what partially constitutes the study of chemistry. 

[P-man]

So ther is no exact answer as of yet...

[Borek]

So ther is no exact answer as of yet...

Question is ill posted, so there is no exact answer. It is like asking whether blond or brunet boxers are better. As the color of hair has nothing to do with the boxer effectiveness on the ring, you can't answer the question. Ion/molecule stability has nothing to do with the fact if it gives or takes electrons, so you can't say which ones are more stable.

[P-man]

Then what does electron wanting to receive or give do anyways?

[JZ_1]

Then what does electron wanting to receive or give do anyways?

Answer:

the drive for atoms to donate/accept electron is to achieve stability.

[Mitch]

Stability being defined as the minimum of delta G for the whole process.