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Chapter 8: Problem 37

Which of the following statements about electronegativity is false? (a) Electronegativity is the ability of an atom in a molecule to attract electron density toward itself. (b) Electronegativity is the same thing as electron affinity. (c) The numerical values for electronegativity have no units. (d) Fluorine is the most electronegative element. (e) Cesium is the least electronegative element.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Statement (b) is false. Electronegativity and electron affinity are not the same thing. Electronegativity measures the ability of an atom to attract electrons when the atom is part of a molecule, whereas electron affinity refers to the energy change that occurs when an electron is added to a neutral atom in the gaseous state, forming a negatively charged ion.

Step by step solution

01

Analyzing statement (a)

Statement (a) says that electronegativity is the ability of an atom in a molecule to attract electron density toward itself. This statement is true. Electronegativity is a measure of the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair of electrons. The higher the electronegativity value, the more an atom attracts electrons towards itself.
02

Analyzing statement (b)

Statement (b) says that electronegativity is the same thing as electron affinity. This statement is false. While both electronegativity and electron affinity relate to the attraction of electrons, they are not the same thing. Electron affinity is the energy change that occurs when an electron is added to a neutral atom in the gaseous state, forming a negatively charged ion. Electronegativity, on the other hand, measures the ability of an atom to attract electrons when the atom is part of a molecule.
03

Analyzing statement (c)

Statement (c) says that the numerical values for electronegativity have no units. This statement is true. Electronegativity values are generally unitless and are often reported on the Pauling scale, where the most electronegative element, fluorine, has an electronegativity value of 3.98.
04

Analyzing statement (d)

Statement (d) says that fluorine is the most electronegative element. This statement is true. Fluorine has the highest electronegativity value of 3.98 on the Pauling scale and is the most electronegative element.
05

Analyzing statement (e)

Statement (e) says that cesium is the least electronegative element. This statement is true. Cesium has the lowest electronegativity value of 0.79 on the Pauling scale, making it the least electronegative element. After analyzing all the statements, we can conclude that statement (b) is the false statement.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Consider the collection of nonmetallic elements: \(\mathrm{B}\), As, O, and I. (a) Which two would form the most polar single bond? (b) Which two would form the longest single bond? (c) Which one would be likely to form a compound of formula XY \(_{3} ?(\mathbf{d})\) Which element would likely to participate in two covalent bonds?

The \(\mathrm{Ti}^{2+}\) ion is isoelectronic with the Ca atom. (a) Write the electron configurations of \(\mathrm{Ti}^{2+}\) and Ca. (b) Calculate the number of unpaired electrons for Ca and for \(\mathrm{Ti}^{2+}\). (c) What charge would Ti have to be isoelectronic with \(\mathrm{Ca}^{2+}\) ?

Consider the element silicon, Si. (a) Write its electron configuration. (b) How many valence electrons does a silicon atom have? (c) Which subshells hold the valence electrons?

Under special conditions, sulfur reacts with anhydrous liquid ammonia to form a binary compound of sulfur and nitrogen. The compound is found to consist of \(69.6 \% \mathrm{~S}\) and \(30.4 \% \mathrm{~N}\). Measurements of its molecular mass yield a value of \(184.3 \mathrm{~g} / \mathrm{mol}\). The compound occasionally detonates on being struck or when heated rapidly. The sulfur and nitrogen atoms of the molecule are joined in a ring. All the bonds in the ring are of the same length. (a) Calculate the empirical and molecular formulas for the substance. (b) Write Lewis structures for the molecule, based on the information you are given. (Hint: You should find a relatively small number of dominant Lewis structures.) (c) Predict the bond distances between the atoms in the ring. (Note: The \(\mathrm{S}-\mathrm{S}\) distance in the \(\mathrm{S}_{8}\) ring is \(205 \mathrm{pm} .\) ) \((\mathbf{d})\) The enthalpy of formation of the compound is estimated to be $480 \mathrm{~kJ} / \mathrm{mol}^{-1} . \Delta H_{f}^{\circ}\( of \)\mathrm{S}(g)\( is \)222.8 \mathrm{~kJ} / \mathrm{mol}$. Estimate the average bond enthalpy in the compound.

Although \(\mathrm{I}_{3}^{-}\) is a known ion, \(\mathrm{F}_{3}^{-}\) is not. \((\mathbf{a})\) Draw the Lewis structure for \(I_{3}^{-}\) (it is linear, not a triangle). (b) One of your classmates says that \(\mathrm{F}_{3}^{-}\) does not exist because \(\mathrm{F}\) is too electronegative to make bonds with another atom. Give an example that proves your classmate is wrong. (c) Another classmate says \(\mathrm{F}_{3}^{-}\) does not exist because it would violate the octet rule. Is this classmate possibly correct? (d) Yet another classmate says \(\mathrm{F}_{3}^{-}\) does not exist because \(\mathrm{F}\) is too small to make bonds to more than one atom. Is this classmate possibly correct?
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