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Chapter 7: Problem 58

Discussing this chapter, a classmate says, "Since elements that form cations are metals and elements that form anions are nonmetals, elements that do not form ions are metalloids." Do you agree or disagree?

Short Answer

Expert verified
I disagree with the classmate's statement that "elements that do not form ions are metalloids." While it is true that metals form cations and nonmetals form anions, metalloids exhibit properties of both metals and nonmetals and have varying ion formation tendencies. They can sometimes lose, gain, or share electrons depending on the situation and the specific element involved. Thus, it is not accurate to generalize metalloids as not forming ions.

Step by step solution

01

Understand ion formation of metals and nonmetals

Metals tend to lose electrons, forming cations (positive ions). This is due to their low electronegativity and low ionization energy, which means they have a higher tendency to give up an electron in order to achieve a stable electron configuration. Nonmetals, on the other hand, tend to gain electrons to complete their valence shell and form anions (negative ions). This is due to their high electronegativity and high ionization energy values, which make it easier for them to gain electrons rather than lose them.
02

Understand the properties of metalloids

Metalloids are elements that exhibit properties of both metals and nonmetals. They have properties that are intermediate between those of metals and nonmetals, such as electrical conductivity and ion formation tendency. Some examples of metalloids include boron, silicon, germanium, arsenic, and tellurium.
03

Assess the ion formation behavior of metalloids

Metalloids do not strictly conform to the behavior of metals or nonmetals in terms of ion formation. They can sometimes lose, gain, or share electrons depending on the situation and the specific element involved. Metalloids exhibit varying ion formation tendencies, and it is not accurate to generalize them as not forming ions.
04

Conclude whether the classmate's statement is accurate or not

Based on the analysis of ion formation tendencies of metals, nonmetals, and metalloids, it is not accurate to say that "elements that do not form ions are metalloids." Metalloids can have varying ion formation behavior and are not limited to only not forming ions. Therefore, we disagree with the classmate's statement.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Chlorine reacts with oxygen to form \(\mathrm{Cl}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{7} .\) (a) What is the name of this product (see Table 2.6)? (b) Write a balanced equation for the formation of \(\mathrm{Cl}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{7}(l)\) from the elements. (c) Would you expect \(\mathrm{Cl}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{7}\) to be more reactive toward \(\mathrm{H}^{+}(a q)\) or \(\mathrm{OH}^{-}(a q) ?(\mathbf{d})\) If the oxygen in \(\mathrm{Cl}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{7}\) is considered to have the -2 oxidation state, what is the oxidation state of the \(\mathrm{Cl}\) ? What is the electron configuration of \(\mathrm{Cl}\) in this oxidation state?

Consider the isoelectronic ions \(\mathrm{Cl}^{-}\) and \(\mathrm{K}^{+}\). (a) Which ion is smaller? (b) Using Equation 7.1 and assuming that core electrons contribute 1.00 and valence electrons contribute nothing to the screening constant, \(S,\) calculate \(Z_{\text {eff }}\) for these two ions. (c) Repeat this calculation using Slater's rules to estimate the screening constant, $S .(\mathbf{d})$ For isoelectronic ions, how are effective nuclear charge and ionic radius related?

Until the early 1960 s, the group 18 elements were called the inert gases. (a) Why was the term inert gases dropped? (b) What discovery triggered this change in name? (c) What name is applied to the group now?

Identify each statement as true or false: (a) lonization energies are always endothermic. (b) Potassium has a larger first ionization energy than lithium. (c) The second ionization energy of the sodium atom is larger than the second ionization energy of the magnesium atom. (d) The third ionization energy is three times the first ionization energy of an atom.

Mercury in the environment can exist in oxidation states \(0,\) \(+1,\) and \(+2 .\) One major question in environmental chemistry research is how to best measure the oxidation state of mercury in natural systems; this is made more complicated by the fact that mercury can be reduced or oxidized on surfaces differently than it would be if it were free in solution. XPS, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, is a technique related to PES (see Exercise 7.111 ), but instead of using ultraviolet light to eject valence electrons, X rays are used to eject core electrons. The energies of the core electrons are different for different oxidation states of the element. In one set of experiments, researchers examined mercury contamination of minerals in water. They measured the XPS signals that corresponded to electrons ejected from mercury's 4 forbitals at \(105 \mathrm{eV}\), from an X-ray source that provided \(1253.6 \mathrm{eV}\) of energy $\left(1 \mathrm{ev}=1.602 \times 10^{-19} \mathrm{~J}\right)$ The oxygen on the mineral surface gave emitted electron energies at $531 \mathrm{eV}\(, corresponding to the \)1 s$ orbital of oxygen. Overall the researchers concluded that oxidation states were +2 for \(\mathrm{Hg}\) and -2 for O. (a) Calculate the wavelength of the \(\mathrm{X}\) rays used in this experiment. (b) Compare the energies of the \(4 f\) electrons in mercury and the \(1 s\) electrons in oxygen from these data to the first ionization energies of mercury and oxygen from the data in this chapter. (c) Write out the ground- state electron configurations for \(\mathrm{Hg}^{2+}\) and \(\mathrm{O}^{2-}\); which electrons are the valence electrons in each case?
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