Question

Which of the following statements are correct?
(i) Arsenic and antimony are metalloids.
(ii) Phosphorus, arsenic and antimony are found mainly as sulphide minerals.
(iii) Covalent redii increases equally from N to Bi.
(iv) Elements of group $15$ have extra stability and higher ionisation energy due to exactly half filled ns $^{2}np^{3}$ electronic configuration.
(v) In group $15$ elements only nitrogen is gas whereas all others are solids.

• A. $(i), (iv)$ and $(v)$
• B. $(ii), (iii)$ and $(iv)$
• C. $(i), (ii)$ and $(iii)$
• D. $(ii), (iii)$ and $(v)$

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

Phosphorus occurs in minerals of the apatite family, $Ca _{9}\left( PO _{4}\right)_{6}, CaX _{2}( X = F , Cl$ or $OH )$ which are main components of phosphate rocks whereas arsenic and antimony are found as sulphide minerals. The increase in covalent radii from $N$ to $P$ is greater in comparison to increase from As to $Bi$.