The Lewis structure of PF₃ shows that the central phosphorus atom has ________ nonbonding and ________ bonding electron pair(s). A)2, 2 B)1, 3 C)3, 1 D)1, 2 E)3, 3

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Phosphorus in PFS (assuming a typo and it should be PF5) has 5 valence electrons. In PF5, all 5 electrons are used to form bonds with 5 fluorine atoms, leaving no nonbonding electrons on phosphorus. However, the question seems to contain a typo or encoding error (PF₃), which complicates direct interpretation. Assuming the intended molecule is PF5, based on typical valence and bonding patterns, phosphorus would have 1 nonbonding pair (due to the error in the question, but actually it should have 0) and 3 bonding pairs in a simplified or mistaken interpretation. However, correctly, PF5 has no nonbonding pairs and 5 bonding pairs. Given the options and likely errors in the question, the closest match under a misunderstanding would be 1 nonbonding and 3 bonding, but this does not accurately reflect PF5's structure. The response is based on interpreting the question's intent rather than accurate chemical principles due to the apparent errors.

The Lewis Structure of PF3 Shows That the Central Phosphorus

The Lewis Structure of PF₃ Shows That the Central Phosphorus