Which pair of elements have the same valence electronic configuration of np^5?

• A. Oxygen (O) and Sulfur (S)
• B. Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P)
• C. Fluorine (F) and Chlorine (Cl)
• D. Carbon (C) and Silicon (Si)

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the valence electronic configuration np^5 means the element has five electrons in the p orbital of its outermost (valence) shell.
2. Recall that elements in the same group (column) of the periodic table have the same valence electron configuration because they have the same number of electrons in their outermost shell.
3. Identify which group corresponds to the np^5 configuration. The p-block elements with five electrons in the p orbital belong to Group 17, also known as the halogens.
4. Check the given pairs to see which elements belong to Group 17. Fluorine (F) and Chlorine (Cl) are both halogens and have the valence configuration of np^5.
5. Confirm that other pairs do not both belong to Group 17, so they do not share the np^5 valence configuration.