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Define electronegativity - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question 11 - 2019
Question 11
Define electronegativity. Account for the increase in electronegativity values across the second period of the periodic table. Use electronegativity values to pred... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Define electronegativity - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question 11 - 2019
Step 1
Step 2
Account for the increase in electronegativity values across the second period of the periodic table.
Answer
The increase in electronegativity across the second period can be attributed to two primary factors: first, the effective nuclear charge experienced by the valence electrons increases due to a higher number of protons, leading to a greater pull on electrons; second, the atomic radius decreases, as electrons are attracted closer to the nucleus, enhancing the atom's ability to attract electrons.
Step 3
Use electronegativity values to predict the type of bonding in oxygen difluoride (OF₂).
Answer
In oxygen difluoride, the electronegativity values indicate that oxygen is more electronegative than fluorine, resulting in a slightly polar covalent bond. The bonding is characterized as covalent due to the sharing of electrons, with oxygen attracting the electron density slightly more than fluorine.
Step 4
Step 5
Select, giving your reasons, which of these angles is the most probable value for the bond angle in oxygen difluoride.
Answer
The most probable bond angle in oxygen difluoride is 103°. This angle is preferred as it accounts for the repulsions between the bond pairs and lone pairs. The lone pairs exert greater repulsive forces, pushing the bond angles closer together than the regular 109.5° typical of tetrahedral geometry.