Which of the following best explains why phosphorus can form more than four covalent…
CHEMISTRY · Single correct · AP · Chemistry · Compound Structure and Properties · Compound Structure and Properties
Problem
Which of the following best explains why phosphorus can form more than four covalent bonds in a resonance form of the phosphate ion, PO43−?
(a) The larger atomic radius of phosphorus allows it to accommodate more bonding pairs without excessive repulsion.
(b) Forming extra bonds lowers the formal charge on phosphorus, so it exceeds eight electrons to achieve better stability.
(c) Phosphorus has available 3d orbitals that can accept additional electron density, allowing expansion beyond an octet.
(d) Atoms in the third period generally do not follow the octet rule, so phosphorus can form as many bonds as needed.