The highest valency of phosphorus is

The atomic number of phosphorus (P) is 15, which means it contains 15 electrons in total. To determine the highest valency of phosphorus, we need to analyze its electronic configuration.

The electronic configuration of phosphorus is:

        1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p3

This configuration shows that phosphorus has five electrons in its outermost shell (n=3), with two in the 3s orbital and three in the 3p orbital. These five electrons represent the valence electrons of phosphorus, which determine its chemical reactivity and bonding capacity.

Phosphorus belongs to Group 15 (or VA group) of the periodic table, which typically corresponds to a maximum valency of 5. This means that phosphorus can share all five of its valence electrons in a chemical bond, achieving its highest valency.

Understanding the Highest Valency of Phosphorus

• The term "valency of phosphorus" refers to the number of chemical bonds phosphorus can form.
• In its ground state, phosphorus exhibits a valency of 3 due to the availability of three unpaired electrons in the 3p orbital.
• However, under certain conditions (e.g., in compounds like PCl₅), phosphorus can expand its octet and exhibit a valency of 5, utilizing all five valence electrons.

Therefore, the highest valency of phosphorus is 5, which occurs when it forms five covalent bonds. Understanding the valency of phosphorus is crucial for studying its chemical properties and behavior in various compounds.