Question

An element Z has atomic number 16. Answer the following questions on Z:
State the formula between Z and hydrogen?

Answer 1

Hint: Oxidation states of Z and H will be found by electronic configuration of an element which is different for every element as every element has different atomic number.
Complete answer:
In the question it is given that element Z has an atomic number of 16. Therefore, Electronic configuration of element Z will come out to be 2, 8, 6.
So, the element Z needs 2 electrons to satisfy the octet rule to get to the nearest stable inert gas configuration. Z has -2 oxidation state. Atomic number of hydrogen elements is 1. Therefore, electronic configuration of element hydrogen comes out to be 1. It needs 1 electron to get the nearest stable inert gas configuration or you can say to satisfy the octet rule.
Therefore, hydrogen can give only one electron whereas element Z needs two electrons. Therefore, two atoms of hydrogen will bond with element Z. hydrogen have +1 oxidation state.
The formula between hydrogen and Z will be ${{H}_ {2}} Z$.

Note: Molecule is made up of cation and anion. Cation donates or shares electrons with anion or in other words cation is an electropositive element that gives it electrons to anions which use electronegative nature so that both can achieve stability. In the above question Z is anion as it is electronegative and has 2 electrons less than nearest stable inert gas configuration. So, it will take 2 electrons from cation and will stabilize itself. So, hydrogen will act as a cation and will donate its electron to Z. since, one atom of hydrogen has only one electron so two electrons are required to make bonds with Z. Similar pattern is followed with every molecule.