Which of the following is the correct chemical formula for boron trifluoride?

• A. B_3F
• B. B_2F_3
• C. BF_2
• D. BF_3

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the elements involved: boron (B) and fluorine (F).
2. Determine the valence electrons and typical bonding patterns for each element. Boron typically forms three bonds because it has three valence electrons, and fluorine typically forms one bond because it has seven valence electrons and needs one more to complete its octet.
3. Since boron forms three bonds and fluorine forms one bond each, boron will bond with three fluorine atoms to satisfy the bonding requirements.
4. Write the chemical formula by placing boron first followed by the number of fluorine atoms bonded to it, resulting in BF_3.
5. Verify that the formula BF_3 reflects the correct ratio of atoms and satisfies the bonding preferences of both elements.