Question

Identify the noble gas whose electron configuration it attains when bonding with the following elements:

H-
N-
O-
C-
Cl-

Answer 1

Elements bond to attain a noble gas electron configuration; hydrogen (H) matches helium (He), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), and carbon (C) match neon (Ne), and chlorine (Cl) matches argon (Ar).

Step-by-step explanation:

The question involves identifying the noble gas whose electron configuration is attained by various elements when they form bonds. According to the octet rule, atoms bond in a way that results in an electron configuration similar to that of noble gases, which are particularly stable due to their filled valence shells.

• Hydrogen (H): Forms bonds to acquire a duet, matching the electron configuration of helium (He), which is 1s².
• Nitrogen (N): Tends to form three covalent bonds, reaching the electron configuration of neon (Ne), with an electron configuration of 1s²2s²2p⁶.
• Oxygen (O) and Carbon (C): Typically form two and four covalent bonds, respectively, to also achieve the neon-like electron configuration.
• Chlorine (Cl): Acquires an electron to form a chloride ion (Cl⁻), with an electron configuration similar to argon (Ar).