Multiple Choice
If oxygen and hydrogen had the same electronegativity, how would this affect the properties of water (H2O)?
151
views
10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
Periodic Trend: Electronegativity
Multiple Choice
Arrange the following elements in order of increasing electronegativity: Na, Cl, F, O.
A
Na < O < Cl < F
B
Cl < Na < O < F
C
Na < Cl < O < F
D
O < Na < Cl < F
Verified step by step guidance1
Recall that electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract electrons in a chemical bond. It generally increases across a period (left to right) in the periodic table and decreases down a group (top to bottom).
Identify the positions of the elements Na, Cl, O, and F in the periodic table: Na is in Group 1 (alkali metals), period 3; Cl is in Group 17 (halogens), period 3; O is in Group 16, period 2; F is in Group 17, period 2.
Compare elements in the same period first: Between O and F (both period 2), F is to the right of O, so F has higher electronegativity than O.
Compare elements in different periods but same group: Cl (period 3) is below F (period 2), so Cl has lower electronegativity than F. Similarly, Na (period 3, Group 1) has the lowest electronegativity among these elements because it is farthest left and lowest in electronegativity trends.
Arrange the elements from lowest to highest electronegativity based on their positions and trends: Na < Cl < O < F.
Related Videos
Related Practice
