Based on the number of protons each element has, which would you expect to be chemically similar?

• A. Z = 7 and Z = 8
• B. Z = 22 and Z = 31
• C. Z = 3 and Z = 11
• D. Z = 32 and Z = 33

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that elements are chemically similar if they belong to the same group in the periodic table. Elements in the same group have similar valence electron configurations, which leads to similar chemical properties.
2. Identify the atomic number (Z) of each element. The atomic number corresponds to the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element's identity.
3. Locate each element on the periodic table using its atomic number. For example, Z = 7 corresponds to nitrogen (N), Z = 8 to oxygen (O), Z = 22 to titanium (Ti), Z = 31 to gallium (Ga), Z = 3 to lithium (Li), Z = 11 to sodium (Na), Z = 32 to germanium (Ge), and Z = 33 to arsenic (As).
4. Check the group number for each element. Elements in the same group will have similar chemical properties. Lithium (Z = 3) and sodium (Z = 11) are both in Group 1, known as the alkali metals, which are chemically similar.
5. Conclude that elements with Z = 3 and Z = 11 are chemically similar because they are both alkali metals in Group 1, sharing similar chemical properties due to their single valence electron.