An element 'P' has atomic number 56. What will be the formula of its halide?

Options

A. PX
B. `PX_(2)`
C. `PH_(3)`
D. `P_(2)X_(3)`

Explanation

To determine the formula of the halide for the element 'P' with atomic number 56, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Element**:
- The atomic number 56 corresponds to the element Barium (Ba).

2. **Determine the Group of the Element**:
- Barium is located in Group 2 of the periodic table, which consists of alkaline earth metals.

3. **Identify the Oxidation State of Barium**:
- Alkaline earth metals typically have a +2 oxidation state. Therefore, Barium will lose two electrons to achieve a stable electronic configuration.

4. **Identify the Halides**:
- Halides are compounds formed when halogens (elements from Group 17 of the periodic table, such as Fluorine, Chlorine, Bromine, and Iodine) combine with other elements. The general oxidation state of halogens is -1.

5. **Combine the Oxidation States**:
- Since Barium has a +2 oxidation state and each halogen has a -1 oxidation state, two halogen atoms will be needed to balance the +2 charge from Barium.

6. **Write the Formula**:
- The formula for the halide of Barium will be represented as BaX2, where X represents any halogen (F, Cl, Br, or I). Since the question refers to element 'P', we can denote the formula as PX2.

### Final Answer:
The formula of the halide for element 'P' (Barium) is **PX2**.

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