In three to five sentences, predict the bonding activity between phosphorous and chlorine. Why do you think they would bond that way?

Answer 1

Phosphorus and chlorine are likely to form a covalent bond, where they share electrons. This is because both elements have similar electronegativity values and tend to gain stability through electron sharing. Phosphorus has five valence electrons and requires three more to achieve a stable electron configuration, while chlorine has seven valence electrons and requires only one more. Therefore, phosphorus will bond with three chlorine atoms to complete its octet, while each chlorine atom will bond with one phosphorus atom to achieve its stable electron configuration.