Barium (Ba) is an element found in group 2 of the periodic table, also known as the alkaline earth metals. Each element in this group has a characteristic number of valence electrons. Specifically, barium has two valence electrons.
Valence electrons are the outermost electrons of an atom and are important because they determine how an atom can bond with others. For barium, having two valence electrons means it can easily form compounds, as it tends to lose these electrons to achieve a stable electronic configuration similar to that of noble gases.
In summary, the atom of barium possesses two valence electrons, which significantly influence its chemical behavior and bonding tendencies.