Question

Which of the following would not have the same number of valence electrons as the others? oxygen carbon sulfur selenium

Answer 1

You need a period table for this, but those in the same column have the same valence electrons. Carbon is the answer to this, it is the only one not in column 17

Answer 2

Answer: Option (b) is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

Valence electrons is the number of electrons present in the outermost shell. And elements which belong to the same group have same number of valence electrons.

For example, oxygen, sulfur, selenium are all same group elements and they have six valence electrons.

Whereas atomic number of carbon is 6 and its electronic distribution is 2, 4. Therefore, carbon has 4 valence electrons.

Hence, we can conclude that out of the given options, carbon atom would not have the same number of valence electrons as the others.