Valency: The capacity of an ; element to combine with another element is known as valency. Valence electrons: The electrons in the outermost shell of an atom of an element are called valence electrons. 

Helium and neon, atoms of both these gaseous element do not combine with any other atom. These elements are chemically inert, i.e. their valency is zero.

Helium atom contains two electrons, indicates that the outermost shell of helium has an electron duplet. The valence shell of neon is completely filled, i.e. neon has an electron octet. Similarly argon contains eight electrons in the valence shell, i.e. argon has an electron octet. It is confirmed that the valency is zero when electron octet (or duplet) is complete.

Atoms of all the elements except inert gases have tendency to combine with other atoms, i.e. they have a non zero valency. The molecules formed by combination with hydrogen (E.g. H , HCl) that valency of hydrogen is one. The electronic configuration of hydrogen shows that there is one electron less than the complete duplet state. This number ‘one’ matches with the valency of hydrogen which is also one.

It means that there is relationship between the valency of an element and the number of electrons in its valence shell.