Which of the following elements have the same number of valence electrons?
A) Se, Sb, Bi
B) Pb, Si, Sn
C) Ga, Sn, Bi
D) Ar, Kr, Br
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is A) Se, Sb, Bi.
Explanation:
Valence electrons are the electrons located in the outermost electron shell of an atom. Elements within the same group (vertical column) of the periodic table have the same number of valence electrons. The number of valence electrons primarily determines the chemical properties of an element.
Let’s break down each option:
A) Se (Selenium), Sb (Antimony), Bi (Bismuth)
- Selenium (Se) is in Group 16 of the periodic table, which means it has 6 valence electrons.
- Antimony (Sb) is in Group 15 of the periodic table, so it has 5 valence electrons.
- Bismuth (Bi) is also in Group 15, meaning it has 5 valence electrons.
This group doesn’t have elements with the same number of valence electrons, so option A is incorrect.
B) Pb (Lead), Si (Silicon), Sn (Tin)
- Lead (Pb) is in Group 14 and has 4 valence electrons.
- Silicon (Si) is in Group 14 and has 4 valence electrons.
- Tin (Sn) is also in Group 14 and has 4 valence electrons.
Since all three elements are in Group 14, they each have 4 valence electrons. Therefore, B is the correct answer.