Aneutral atom with the electron configuration 2-8-6 would most likely form a bond with an atom having the configuration

The configuration of the atom would be 2-8-2.

Explanation:

Any atom of an element combines with other element to complete its octet and become stable.

The electron configuration of the given atom is 2-8-6. That means the atom has 6 electrons in its outermost shell. To become stable the atom should have 8 electrons in its outermost shell. The given atom has 6 electrons so it either lose 6 electrons or gain 2 electrons to complete its octet.

But we know the atom having 5,6,7 electrons in its outermost shell they do not lose, they gain either 3 or 2 or 1 electrons to complete its octet.

So we say that atom with the electron configuration 2-8-6 bond with the atom having electron configuration 2-8-2.

the atomic number will stay the same no matter how many electrons it has, so it doesn’t decrease nor increase. it’ll only change with a different number of protons