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Chapter 7: Problem 76

(a) Why does xenon react with fluorine, whereas neon does not? (b) Using appropriate reference sources, look up the bond lengths of Xe-F bonds in several molecules. How do these numbers compare to the bond lengths calculated from the atomic radii of the elements?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Xenon reacts with fluorine because of its ability to form "d" or "f" orbitals and its larger atomic size compared to neon, which cannot form such orbitals and is unreactive to fluorine. The bond lengths of Xe-F bonds found in reference sources (e.g., 197.5 pm for XeF₂, 196.1 pm for XeF₄, and 193.5 pm for XeF₆) are generally longer than those calculated using atomic radii (172 pm). This difference could result from factors like electron repulsion and chemical bonding properties not considered in a simple atomic radii calculation.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the properties of inert gases

Inert gases, or noble gases, are elements in Group 18 of the periodic table. They have a full outer electron shell, which makes them relatively non-reactive. Xenon (Xe) and neon (Ne) are both members of this group. However, we need to delve into the differences in their electron configurations to understand why xenon can form compounds with fluorine while neon cannot.
02

Electron Configurations

Neon, with an atomic number of 10, has an electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p⁶. This configuration gives neon a complete outer electron shell, making it very stable and resistant to reactions with other elements. On the other hand, xenon has an atomic number of 54, and its electron configuration is [Kr] 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶. Although xenon also has a full outer electron shell, it has additional energy levels and electron shells compared to neon. This makes xenon less resistant to forming bonds with highly electronegative elements such as fluorine.
03

Reactivity of Xenon and Neon with Fluorine

Xenon reacts with fluorine because it can form "d" or "f" orbitals and accommodate additional electrons due to its larger atomic size and more complex electron configuration. On the other hand, neon cannot form these orbitals and therefore remains unreactive to fluorine.
04

Looking Up Xe-F Bond Lengths

Using reference sources such as scientific journals or online databases, you can look up the bond lengths of Xe-F bonds in several molecules. As an example, let us consider these three molecules: XeF₂, XeF₄, and XeF₆. According to reference sources, their Xe-F bond lengths are: 1. XeF₂: 197.5 pm 2. XeF₄: 196.1 pm 3. XeF₆: 193.5 pm
05

Calculating Bond Lengths Using Atomic Radii

To calculate the bond lengths from the atomic radii of xenon and fluorine elements, we can use the sum of their atomic radii. The atomic radius of xenon is 108 pm, and the atomic radius of fluorine is 64 pm. Adding these together, we get: Bond length(Xe-F) = Atomic radius(Xe) + Atomic radius(F) = 108 pm + 64 pm = 172 pm
06

Comparison of Bond Lengths

Now that we have the bond lengths from both reference sources and the calculation using atomic radii, we can compare them: 1. XeF₂: 197.5 pm (reference) vs. 172 pm (calculated) 2. XeF₄: 196.1 pm (reference) vs. 172 pm (calculated) 3. XeF₆: 193.5 pm (reference) vs. 172 pm (calculated) As seen from the comparison, the bond lengths found in reference sources for Xe-F bonds are generally longer than those calculated from atomic radii. This difference could be due to various factors, such as electron repulsion and chemical bonding properties that are not considered in a simple atomic radii calculation.

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