Practice question · Sort into groups
Sort each central atom by whether it can hold more than eight valence electrons.
Groups: Capped at eight · Can expand beyond eight
- Sulfur
- Nitrogen
- Carbon
- Phosphorus
- Oxygen
- Chlorine
Hints
- Ask which period each element sits in.
- Only from period 3 downward is there room beyond eight.
Show the answer
Capped at eight: Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon
Can expand beyond eight: Phosphorus, Sulfur, Chlorine
Why
Period 2 elements have only and available and are capped at eight, which is why NF5 does not exist. From period 3 the atoms are larger and can accommodate more, giving real compounds such as and .
Practise Lewis Structures, Formal Charge and Resonance
The app has 5 more questions on this lesson, and keeps your place in the course. Chemistry I is free to start.
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