Question

Write a Lewis structure for the phosphorus trifluoride molecule, PF3. Is the octet rule satisfied for all the atoms in your structure? (b) Determine the oxidation numbers of the P and F atoms. (c) Determine the formal charges of the P and F atoms. (d) Is the oxidation number for the P atom the same as its formal charge? Explain why or why not.

Answer 1

The octet rule is indeed satisfied for each atom in PF3.

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The oxidation number for each F is -1. The Oxidative number for P is +3. So they balance out.

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Formal charge of P -> 0

Formal charge of F's -> 0

The formal charges on both the P and all the F's is 0.

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The formal charge for p is not the same as its oxidative number because the two quantities measure different things.