The element phosphorus forms a(n) A with the charge The symbol for this ion is and the name is ion. The number of electrons in this ion is
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
To solve this question, let’s first address the key elements of phosphorus and its behavior as an ion:
Phosphorus is a non-metal element that is part of Group 15 of the periodic table, which means it has 5 valence electrons. When phosphorus forms an ion, it typically gains 3 electrons to achieve a stable octet, like the noble gas argon. This happens because it prefers to fill its outer shell with 8 electrons, making the ion more stable.
The ion formed by phosphorus is called the phosphate ion or simply the phosphide ion when it has gained 3 electrons. The chemical formula of this ion is P³⁻. The charge on the ion is -3, indicating that it has gained 3 electrons.
Here are the breakdown details:
- The charge on the ion is -3 (because it gains 3 electrons).
- The symbol for this ion is P³⁻.
- The name of this ion is the phosphide ion (it’s simply the phosphorus atom in an ionized state).
- The number of electrons in this ion is 18. This is because the neutral phosphorus atom has 15 electrons (matching the atomic number), and when it gains 3 additional electrons, the total becomes 18.
Explanation of the ion formation:
The electron configuration of a neutral phosphorus atom is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p³. As a non-metal, phosphorus tends to gain electrons to fill its valence shell and achieve a stable electron configuration. By accepting 3 electrons, it now has a full outer shell, similar to argon, which has a stable 8 electrons in its valence shell. This makes the phosphide ion more stable compared to the neutral phosphorus atom. The negative charge arises because the ion has more electrons than protons.
I’ll now generate an image of the phosphide ion.
Here is the diagram showing the phosphorus atom and how it transitions into the phosphide ion (P³⁻) with the extra 3 electrons. The additional electrons are indicated in the outer shell of the atom. Let me know if you need further clarification!
