Arsenic again

[demitry-hed]

what group is arsenic in, im guessin Pnictogen?

[Gef]

Aresenic is in group15 or group 4 of the Periodic Table (depending on which system you use).

I had never heard of the term pnictogen and so did Wikpedia and Google searches with fascinating results.

It appears that nitrogen is not included so that the name does not refer to the whole group.

Thanks for the question. I've been a professional chemist for over 30 years and just learned something new.

[Gef]

Sorry, I can't spell arsenic!!!!

[demitry-hed]

thanks! but so what group is arsenic in?

[theprof]

Good question this!

Before the periodic table was revised to some years back, arsenic used to be in Group 5 or 5a (more correctly Group V or Va). Since these changes occurred, Arsenic is now in Group 15.

In general, if you're using the IUPAC rules, it's now in Group 15, but in the USA, it's in Group 5a. So the answer could be either!

If my memory serves me right Gef, Group 4 was Carbon, Silicon, Germanium, Tin and Lead although the brain may be malfunctioning due to the vintage port!

[Gef]

Sorry folks, not only can I not spell arsenic but I can't read or type either. Arsenic is in group 5 and not group 4.

Thanks prof, my excuse was an excess of malt whisky (Ben Riach peated malt). In Scottish schools we use the old system where the main groups are numbered 0 to 7.

[theprof]

It's OK Gef - no harm done.

I hope you enjoyed the Ben Riach. I woke up with right thick head this morning after the Taylor's 1985.

I've spent a fair bit of time as a visiting professor in american uni's and their periodic table does take a bit of getting used to. I still prefer the old style periodic table as we use in the UK.