The total number of 'p' electrons present in phosphorous atom is

Options

A. 9
B. 2
C. 8
D. 3

Answer

To determine the total number of 'p' electrons present in a phosphorus atom, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Identify the Atomic Number of Phosphorus
The atomic number of phosphorus (P) is 15. This indicates that a neutral phosphorus atom has 15 electrons.

### Step 2: Write the Electronic Configuration
The electronic configuration of phosphorus can be written as:
- 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p³

### Step 3: Identify the 'p' Electrons
In the electronic configuration:
- The 2p subshell has 6 electrons (2p⁶).
- The 3p subshell has 3 electrons (3p³).

### Step 4: Calculate the Total Number of 'p' Electrons
To find the total number of 'p' electrons, we add the electrons from both the 2p and 3p subshells:
- Total 'p' electrons = Electrons in 2p + Electrons in 3p
- Total 'p' electrons = 6 (from 2p) + 3 (from 3p) = 9

### Final Answer
The total number of 'p' electrons present in a phosphorus atom is **9**.

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