Question 2B.9

[Amir Bayat]

For part (b), how do you arrange the potassium atoms around the phosphorous atom for the Lewis Structure Diagram? Do they revolve around the phosphorous atom, or can we arrange them separate from the potassium atom?

[SarahSteffen_LEC4]

I just placed the potassium atoms floating outside of/around the central phosphorous atom and then bracketed each atom to show the individual charges.

[Alex Tchekanov Dis 2k]

I just placed the potassium atoms floating outside of/around the central phosphorous atom and then bracketed each atom to show the individual charges.

How do you know that the potassium ions do not covalently bond to the phosphorus atom? What is the clue that tells you that the 3 K atoms are merely ionically attracted?

[Ariel Davydov 1C]

Because potassium has a positive charge (+1) and phosphorus has a negative charge (-3), it is safe to assume that they will bond ionically, especially since the molecule is K3P.