What are the valence electrons in the following?

PH4+ (phosphonium)
HCN (hydrogen cynide)
NO3-
CN-
H3O+
NH4Cl

i know its kinda simple but i just can't really seem to grasp it

Thanks in advance!

I don't understand the question.
Do you mean how many electrons? And of what element?

Yes, I apologize for the confusion. When we refer to valence electrons, we are talking about the number of outermost electrons in an atom or ion. These electrons are important because they are involved in chemical bonding.

Now, let's determine the number of valence electrons for each of the given molecules and ions:

1. PH4+ (phosphonium):
Phosphorus (P) is in Group 15 of the periodic table, so it has five valence electrons. However, in PH4+, there is a positive charge (+), which means one electron has been removed. Hence, the valence electron count for PH4+ is 5 - 1 = 4.

2. HCN (hydrogen cyanide):
Hydrogen (H) is in Group 1, so it has 1 valence electron. Carbon (C) is in Group 14, so it has 4 valence electrons. Nitrogen (N) is in Group 15, so it has 5 valence electrons. Adding these together, we have 1 + 4 + 5 = 10 valence electrons for HCN.

3. NO3- (nitrate):
Nitrogen (N) is in Group 15, so it has 5 valence electrons. Oxygen (O) is in Group 16, so each oxygen atom contributes 6 valence electrons. Since there are three oxygen atoms in NO3-, the total valence electron count is 5 + (6 x 3) = 23. However, NO3- has a negative charge (-), which means one extra electron has been added. So, the final valence electron count for NO3- is 23 + 1 = 24.

4. CN- (cyanide):
Carbon (C) is in Group 14, so it has 4 valence electrons. Nitrogen (N) is in Group 15, so it has 5 valence electrons. Cyanide (CN-) has a negative charge (-), which means one extra electron has been added. Hence, the valence electron count for CN- is 4 + 5 + 1 = 10.

5. H3O+ (hydronium ion):
Hydrogen (H) is in Group 1, so it has 1 valence electron. Oxygen (O) is in Group 16, so it has 6 valence electrons. Hydronium ion (H3O+) has a positive charge (+), which means one electron has been removed. Therefore, the valence electron count for H3O+ is 1 + (6 x 1) - 1 = 6.

6. NH4Cl (ammonium chloride):
Nitrogen (N) is in Group 15, so it has 5 valence electrons. Hydrogen (H) is in Group 1, so it has 1 valence electron. Chlorine (Cl) is in Group 17, so it has 7 valence electrons. Ammonium ion (NH4+) has a positive charge (+), which means one electron has been removed. Therefore, the valence electron count for NH4Cl is 5 + (1 x 4) + 7 - 1 = 15.

I hope this explanation helps you understand the concept of valence electrons better. Let me know if you have any further questions!