There are paired and unpaired electrons in the Lewis symbol for a phosphorus atom.
A) 2, 4
B) 0, 3
C) 2, 3
D) 4, 2
E) 4, 3

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Lewis symbol for a phosphorus atom is shown as follows: 
P 
Each dot in the symbol represents a valence electron, so there are 5 dots in total. In order to form a stable octet, phosphorus needs to share or transfer 3 electrons. This means there are 3 unpaired electrons available for bonding. However, there are also 2 paired electrons in the symbol. Therefore, the best choice is C, with 2 paired electrons and 3 unpaired electrons.

There Are Paired and Unpaired Electrons in the Lewis Symbol