Table of contents

1. A Review of General Chemistry5h 5m
2. Molecular Representations1h 14m
3. Acids and Bases2h 46m
4. Alkanes and Cycloalkanes4h 17m
5. Chirality3h 39m
6. Thermodynamics and Kinetics1h 22m
7. Substitution Reactions1h 48m
8. Elimination Reactions2h 30m
9. Alkenes and Alkynes2h 9m
10. Addition Reactions3h 19m
11. Radical Reactions1h 58m
12. Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Thiols2h 42m
13. Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds2h 17m
14. Synthetic Techniques1h 26m
15. Analytical Techniques:IR, NMR, Mass Spect7h 3m
16. Conjugated Systems6h 13m
17. Ultraviolet Spectroscopy51m
18. Aromaticity2h 34m
19. Reactions of Aromatics: EAS and Beyond5h 1m
20. Phenols55m
21. Aldehydes and Ketones: Nucleophilic Addition4h 56m
22. Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: NAS2h 51m
23. The Chemistry of Thioesters, Phophate Ester and Phosphate Anhydrides1h 10m
24. Enolate Chemistry: Reactions at the Alpha-Carbon1h 53m
25. Condensation Chemistry2h 9m
26. Amines1h 43m
27. Heterocycles2h 0m
28. Carbohydrates5h 53m
29. Amino Acids4h 20m
30. Peptides and Proteins2h 42m
31. Catalysis in Organic Reactions1h 30m
32. Lipids 2h 50m
33. The Organic Chemistry of Metabolic Pathways2h 52m
34. Nucleic Acids1h 32m
35. Transition Metals6h 14m
36. Synthetic Polymers1h 49m

1. A Review of General Chemistry

Atomic Structure

Organic Chemistry

1. A Review of General Chemistry

Atomic Structure

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4:07 minutes

Problem 15c

Textbook Question

How many electrons does an atom of each of the following elements need to gain to achieve a noble gas configuration? By gaining that many electrons, which noble gas configuration is achieved?
(c) Phosphorus

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Understand the concept of noble gas configuration. Noble gases have a full valence shell, which is typically 8 electrons (except for helium, which has 2). Atoms of other elements tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve this stable configuration.

Step 2: Determine the electron configuration of phosphorus (P). Phosphorus has an atomic number of 15, meaning it has 15 electrons. Its electron configuration is:

{1s}^{2} {2s}^{2} {2p}^{6} {3s}^{2} {3p}^{3} .

Step 3: Identify the nearest noble gas. The nearest noble gas after phosphorus is argon (Ar), which has an atomic number of 18 and an electron configuration of:

{1s}^{2} {2s}^{2} {2p}^{6} {3s}^{2} {3p}^{6} .

Step 4: Determine how many electrons phosphorus needs to gain to achieve the electron configuration of argon. Phosphorus currently has 3 electrons in its 3p orbital, and it needs 3 more electrons to fill the 3p orbital completely (to reach 3p

6

Step 5: Conclude that phosphorus needs to gain 3 electrons to achieve the noble gas configuration of argon.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Noble Gas Configuration

Noble gas configuration refers to the electron arrangement of noble gases, which have full outer electron shells, making them stable and unreactive. Atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve this stable configuration, typically resembling the nearest noble gas in the periodic table.

Valence Electrons

Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom that are involved in chemical bonding. The number of valence electrons determines how an element interacts with others and how many electrons it needs to gain or lose to achieve a stable electron configuration.

Electron Affinity

Electron affinity is the energy change that occurs when an atom gains an electron. Elements with high electron affinity tend to gain electrons more readily, which is crucial for understanding how many electrons an atom like phosphorus needs to gain to achieve a noble gas configuration.

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Choose the larger atom in each pair.

(d) N or S

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Give the electron configuration of the following elements.

Textbook Question

How many electrons does an atom of each of the following elements need to lose to achieve a noble gas configuration? By losing that many electrons, which noble gas configuration is achieved?

(a) Beryllium

Textbook Question

How many electrons does an atom of each of the following elements need to gain to achieve a noble gas configuration? By gaining that many electrons, which noble gas configuration is achieved?

(a) Oxygen

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A chemistry student drew the following incorrect electron configuration for carbon. (a) Correct the diagram.

Textbook Question

Would you expect electrons in the 2s or 3s orbital to be more reactive? Why?

Textbook Question

What is the ground state electron configuration of carbon? How many bonds does carbon usually form?

Textbook Question

In the periodic table, the number 79.904 appears under the element bromine. What is the significance of this number?

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How many electrons does an atom of each of the following elements need to gain to achieve a noble gas configuration? By gaining that many electrons, which noble gas configuration is achieved? (c) Phosphorus

Key Concepts

Noble Gas Configuration

Valence Electrons

Electron Affinity

Watch next

How many electrons does an atom of each of the following elements need to gain to achieve a noble gas configuration? By gaining that many electrons, which noble gas configuration is achieved?
(c) Phosphorus