Question

use the periodic table to answer the question.
which atom generally obtains a stable configuration by sharing electrons?
(1 point)
phosphorus (p)
magnesium (mg)
lithium (li)
chlorine (cl)

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze the nature of the elements

• Phosphorus (P): Non - metal. Non - metals generally obtain a stable configuration by sharing electrons to form covalent bonds.
• Magnesium (Mg): Metal. Metals usually lose electrons to form cations and obtain a stable configuration.
• Lithium (Li): Metal. Metals typically lose electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration.
• Chlorine (Cl): Although it is a non - metal, it is more likely to gain one electron (rather than sharing in most common simple cases, for example, in the formation of ionic compounds like NaCl, it gains an electron from Na) to complete its octet. Phosphorus has more flexibility in sharing electrons in various compounds (e.g., in \(PCl_3\) it shares electrons with Cl).

So, phosphorus (P) is the element that generally obtains a stable configuration by sharing electrons.

Answer:

A. phosphorus (P)