Question

In 3 sentences, predict how phosphorous and chlorine would bond. Explain why they would bond that way.

Answer 1

Phosphorus (P) and chlorine (Cl) are likely to form a covalent bond due to the difference in their electronegativities. Phosphorus, which has five valence electrons, can share its electrons with chlorine, which has seven valence electrons, allowing both elements to achieve more stable electron configurations. This bonding creates molecules like phosphorus trichloride (PCl₃), where phosphorus shares its electrons with three chlorine atoms to fulfill the octet rule.