Question

In 3–4 sentences, predict how phosphorus and chlorine would bond. Explain why they would bond that way. Please make your answer simple, coherent, and intended for 9th grade.

Answer 1

Phosphorus has five valence electrons and chlorine has seven, so phosphorus tends to share three electrons while each chlorine atom needs one to complete an octet. They form covalent bonds by sharing electrons; the common product is phosphorus trichloride (PCl3), where one P shares electrons with three Cl atoms. With excess chlorine phosphorus can expand its bonding and form PCl5 by sharing five electrons. Because chlorine is more electronegative, the P–Cl bonds are polar covalent (the shared electrons are pulled closer to chlorine).