Question

Pentavalence in phosphorus is more stable when compared to that of nitrogen even though they belong to same group. This is due to
(a) dissimilar electronic configuration
(b) due to presence of vacant d-orbitals
(c) reactivity of phosphorus
(d) inert nature of nitrogen

Answer 1

(b) Phosphorous can achieve coordination number 5 due to vacant d atomic orbitals in valence shell which is not possible in nitrogen