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Multiple Choice
Which of the following beryllium halides is considered an ionic compound?
A
BeI_2
B
BeCl_2
C
BeF_2
D
BeBr_2
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the nature of bonding in beryllium halides. Beryllium (Be) is a small, highly charged cation (Be^{2+}), and halides (F^-, Cl^-, Br^-, I^-) are anions. The type of bonding (ionic or covalent) depends on the difference in electronegativity and the polarizing power of Be^{2+}.
Step 2: Recall that ionic bonds typically form between metals and nonmetals with a large difference in electronegativity, while covalent bonds form when atoms share electrons more equally. Beryllium tends to form covalent bonds due to its small size and high charge density, which polarizes the electron cloud of the anion.
Step 3: Compare the halides: Fluoride ion (F^-) is the smallest and most electronegative halide, which makes BeF_2 more ionic because the Be^{2+} cation and F^- anion have a larger electronegativity difference and less covalent character.
Step 4: Larger halides like Cl^-, Br^-, and I^- are more polarizable, meaning Be^{2+} distorts their electron clouds more, leading to more covalent character in BeCl_2, BeBr_2, and BeI_2.
Step 5: Conclude that among the given options, BeF_2 is considered ionic due to the high electronegativity of fluorine and the resulting ionic bond, while the others are more covalent in nature.