Certainly! Let's analyze the situation step-by-step:
1. Understanding a Chloride Ion ([tex]\( \text{Cl}^- \)[/tex]):
- Chlorine (Cl) in its neutral state has an atomic number of 17, which means it has 17 electrons.
- When chlorine gains an electron to form a chloride ion ([tex]\( \text{Cl}^- \)[/tex]), it has 17 + 1 = 18 electrons.
2. Finding the Neutral Atom with the Same Number of Electrons:
- We need to identify which neutral atom also has 18 electrons.
3. Analyzing the Options:
- Fluorine (F):
- Atomic number: 9
- Number of electrons in neutral state: 9
- Sulfur (S):
- Atomic number: 16
- Number of electrons in neutral state: 16
- Argon (Ar):
- Atomic number: 18
- Number of electrons in neutral state: 18
- Bromine (Br):
- Atomic number: 35
- Number of electrons in neutral state: 35
4. Conclusion:
- Comparing the number of electrons:
- A neutral fluorine atom has 9 electrons, which is not equal to 18.
- A neutral sulfur atom has 16 electrons, which is not equal to 18.
- A neutral argon atom has 18 electrons, which matches the number of electrons in a chloride ion.
- A neutral bromine atom has 35 electrons, which is not equal to 18.
Therefore, a chloride ion ([tex]\( \text{Cl}^- \)[/tex]) has the same number of electrons as a neutral atom of argon.
The correct answer is C. Argon.
