Textbook Question
Look at the location of elements A, B, C, and D in the following periodic table:
(e) Which of these oxides has the highest melting point? Which has the lowest melting point?
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23. Chemistry of the Nonmetals
Main Group Elements: Boiling & Melting Points
Multiple Choice
Which of the following Group 5A elements would be expected to have the highest melting point?
A
Nitrogen, N
B
Phosphorus, P
C
Oxygen, O
D
Antimony, Sb
E
Bismuth, Bi
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the elements listed in the problem: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Oxygen (O), Antimony (Sb), and Bismuth (Bi). Note that Oxygen (O) is not a Group 5A element, so it should be excluded from consideration.
Understand that melting point trends in the periodic table are influenced by the type of bonding and structure of the element. Group 5A elements can exhibit different types of bonding, such as covalent or metallic.
Consider the type of bonding and structure for each element. Nitrogen and Phosphorus typically form covalent bonds and exist as molecular solids, which generally have lower melting points. Antimony and Bismuth, on the other hand, are metallic and form metallic bonds, which usually result in higher melting points.
Recall that within a group, metallic character increases as you move down the group. This means that elements lower in the group, like Antimony and Bismuth, are more metallic and typically have higher melting points compared to those higher up, like Nitrogen and Phosphorus.
Conclude that among the Group 5A elements listed, Antimony (Sb) and Bismuth (Bi) are expected to have higher melting points due to their metallic nature. Between these two, Antimony (Sb) is known to have a higher melting point than Bismuth (Bi), making it the element with the highest melting point in this group.
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