The expected formula between silicon and fluorine is ________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The general rule for forming binary compounds between nonmetals is that they will combine in such a way that they share electrons in a way that fills the outer valence shell of each atom. Silicon and fluorine are both nonmetals and fluorine requires one electron to fill its outer shell (it has 7 valence electrons), while silicon requires 4 electrons to fill its outer shell (it has 4 valence electrons). Therefore, the most stable compound will be one in which each silicon atom is bonded to 4 fluorine atoms. The resulting formula will be SiF4.

The Expected Formula Between Silicon and Fluorine Is ________