Multiple Choice
Which halogen is the most electronegative?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
Periodic Trend: Electronegativity
Multiple Choice
Which of the following best explains why fluorine is more chemically reactive than nitrogen?
A
Fluorine has a larger atomic radius than nitrogen, allowing it to react more easily.
B
Fluorine has a lower atomic number than nitrogen, resulting in greater reactivity.
C
Fluorine has fewer valence electrons than nitrogen, making it more reactive.
D
Fluorine has a higher electronegativity, making it more likely to attract electrons and form bonds.
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the concept of chemical reactivity, which often depends on how easily an element can gain, lose, or share electrons to form chemical bonds.
Step 2: Recall that fluorine and nitrogen are both nonmetals, but fluorine is in Group 17 (halogens) with 7 valence electrons, while nitrogen is in Group 15 with 5 valence electrons.
Step 3: Recognize that fluorine has a higher electronegativity than nitrogen, meaning fluorine has a stronger tendency to attract electrons toward itself in a chemical bond.
Step 4: Note that atomic radius and atomic number alone do not directly determine reactivity; for example, fluorine has a smaller atomic radius than nitrogen, which actually increases its ability to attract electrons.
Step 5: Conclude that fluorine's high electronegativity makes it more chemically reactive because it more readily attracts electrons to complete its valence shell, leading to stronger and more frequent bond formation.
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