Question

The VA group element that doesn’t directly react with chlorine:
A. ${{\text{N}}_{2}}$
B. A
C. Sb
D. Bi

Answer 1

Hint: Check the electron configuration of all the elements given and the one having half or fully filled outermost shells will be the least reacting because they have already acquired a stable electronic configuration and will not tend for the redistribution of electrons by losing or gaining an electron.

Complete step by step answer:
The atomic no. of nitrogen is 7.
Its configuration is \[78.09%\] \[1{{s}^{2}}2{{s}^{3}}2{{p}^{3}}\]. The 2p orbital is half filled making it inert and therefore it does not react directly with chlorine. So, it has a maximum exchange energy due to half-filled p-subshell so it exists in stable form like inert gas and it forms a triple bond \[\left( N\text{ }\equiv \text{ }N \right)\]. Due to the presence of triple bonds there is very high bond dissociation energy. Therefore nitrogen molecules are inert and have low activity. So, the correct choice is A.
An inert chemical substance is one that is not generally reactive. Inert can be said as “inactive” with respect to chemical reactions.

So, the correct answer is “Option A”.

Additional Information:
Nitrogen is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that makes up \[78.09%\] of the air. It is commonly used as an inert gas but it is not truly inert. It forms nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide with oxygen, ammonia with hydrogen, and nitrogen sulfide with sulfur.
The reason behind being inert is the half filled p subshell due to which there is little tendency to gain or lose electrons making it chemically inert. Nitrogen chemically doesn’t react with other gases and it is not toxic but breathing pure nitrogen is deadly. That’s because the gas displaces oxygen in the lungs which is known as Asphyxiation.
Nitrogen is named after the Greek word nitron, for “native soda”, and genes for “forming”, nitrogen is the fifth most abundant element in the universe. It is an important part of our bodies. Amino acids all contain nitrogen and these are building blocks that make up the proteins in your hair, muscles, skin and other tissues.

Note:
Study the concepts of electron configuration of the elements, their atomic number from the study of periodic table, the nature of the elements and their reactivity with other species. The type of bonds they form and their respective bond dissociation energies. The reactivity of elements depends upon their tendency to lose or gain electrons to complete their outermost orbit.