Final answer:
Elements in Group 1 easily give away electrons while elements in Groups 14 and 17 need to gain electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Elements in Group 1 of the periodic table, also known as alkali metals, easily give away one electron to achieve a stable electron configuration.
They aim to achieve the configuration of the nearest noble gas, which has a full valence shell. For example, sodium (Na) in Group 1 needs to lose one electron to attain the electron configuration of neon (Ne). As a result, it becomes a positively charged ion, Na+.
On the other hand, elements in Group 14, such as carbon (C), need to gain four electrons to achieve a stable configuration. Similarly, elements in Group 17, known as halogens, need to gain one electron. For instance, oxygen (O) in Group 16 acquires two electrons to achieve the electron configuration of neon, making it a negatively charged ion, O2-.