1. Valence Electrons per Atom:
* Phosphorus (P): Group 15, so it has 5 valence electrons.
* Fluorine (F): Group 17, so it has 7 valence electrons.
2. Total Valence Electrons:
* Phosphorus: 1 atom * 5 valence electrons = 5 valence electrons
* Fluorine: 3 atoms * 7 valence electrons = 21 valence electrons
3. Combined Total:
* 5 valence electrons (P) + 21 valence electrons (F) = 26 valence electrons
Therefore, there are a total of 26 valence electrons in the pool for phosphorus trifluoride (PF3).
