Final answer:
Nitrogen does not transfer any valence electrons to potassium in the formation of potassium nitride because instead of losing, it gains three electrons to form the nitride ion (N3-), while potassium loses an electron to form the K+ cation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of valence electrons transferred from the nitrogen atom to potassium in the formation of the compound potassium nitride is 0. Nitrogen is a nonmetal belonging to group 15 of the periodic table and has 5 valence electrons. Nitrogen tends to gain electrons rather than lose them to achieve a stable configuration.
In forming the nitride ion (N3-), a nitrogen atom gains three electrons to attain the electron configuration of the noble gas neon. Potassium, on the other hand, is a metal and loses one electron to become the K+ ion. Potassium does not receive electrons from nitrogen; instead, nitrogen gains electrons from other sources, possibly other potassium atoms that become cations in the process. Therefore, the answer is d. 0, as there is no direct electron transfer from nitrogen to potassium.