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60 Chemistry: Matter and Change
Solving Problems: A Chemistry Handbook
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
A CHEMISTRY HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 6
The octet rule lets you predict the ionic charge of a representative element. For example, you can predict that an element in group
16, having a high ionization energy, will gain two electrons to
achieve a stable octet configuration.
Practice Problems
19. For each of the following elements, state whether it is more
likely to gain or lose electrons to form a stable octet configuration and how many electrons will be gained or lost.
a. K
e. Al
b. Br
f. I
c. O
g. Ar
d. Mg
20. Which noble-gas configuration is each of the following elements most likely to attain by gaining or losing electrons?
a. S
e. Fr
b. Sr
f. N
c. Cl
g. Ba
d. Be
Electronegativity When atoms combine chemically with each
other, they do so by forming a chemical bond. This bond involves
either the transfer of electrons or sharing of electrons to varying
degrees. The nature of the bond between two atoms depends on the
relative ability of each atom to attract electrons from the other, a
property known as electronegativity.
The maximum electronegativity value is 3.98 for fluorine, the
element that attracts electrons most strongly in a chemical bond. The
trends in electronegativity in the periodic table are generally similar
to the trends in ionization energy. The lowest electronegativity values occur among the elements in the lower left of the periodic table.
These atoms, such as cesium, rubidium, and barium, are large and
have few valence electrons, which they lose easily. Therefore, they
have little attraction for electrons when forming a bond.
Elements with the highest electronegativity values, such as fluorine, chlorine, and oxygen, are found in the upper right of the
periodic table (excluding, of course, the noble gases, which do not
▲
60 Chemistry: Matter and Change
Solving Problems: A Chemistry Handbook
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
A CHEMISTRY HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 6
The octet rule lets you predict the ionic charge of a representative element. For example, you can predict that an element in group
16, having a high ionization energy, will gain two electrons to
achieve a stable octet configuration.
Practice Problems
19. For each of the following elements, state whether it is more
likely to gain or lose electrons to form a stable octet configuration and how many electrons will be gained or lost.
a. K
e. Al
b. Br
f. I
c. O
g. Ar
d. Mg
20. Which noble-gas configuration is each of the following elements most likely to attain by gaining or losing electrons?
a. S
e. Fr
b. Sr
f. N
c. Cl
g. Ba
d. Be
Electronegativity When atoms combine chemically with each
other, they do so by forming a chemical bond. This bond involves
either the transfer of electrons or sharing of electrons to varying
degrees. The nature of the bond between two atoms depends on the
relative ability of each atom to attract electrons from the other, a
property known as electronegativity.
The maximum electronegativity value is 3.98 for fluorine, the
element that attracts electrons most strongly in a chemical bond. The
trends in electronegativity in the periodic table are generally similar
to the trends in ionization energy. The lowest electronegativity values occur among the elements in the lower left of the periodic table.
These atoms, such as cesium, rubidium, and barium, are large and
have few valence electrons, which they lose easily. Therefore, they
have little attraction for electrons when forming a bond.
Elements with the highest electronegativity values, such as fluorine, chlorine, and oxygen, are found in the upper right of the
periodic table (excluding, of course, the noble gases, which do not
▲