Based on the octet rule, phosphorus most likely forms a __________ ion. A)P³⁺ B)P^3- C)P⁵⁺ D)P^5- E)P⁺

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According to the octet rule, atoms tend to gain or lose electrons to achieve a stable configuration of eight electrons in their outermost shell. Phosphorus (P) has five valence electrons, so to achieve the stable octet configuration, it either needs to gain three electrons to form the P3- ion or lose three electrons to form the P3+ ion. However, in most cases, phosphorus forms a covalent bond by sharing electrons with other nonmetals rather than forming ions. Therefore, option B is the best choice as it represents a covalent compound with phosphorus sharing its valence electrons with the surrounding sulfur atoms.

Based on the Octet Rule, Phosphorus Most Likely Forms a __________