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The ability of an atom in a covalent bond to attract electrons to itself is called its electronegativity - CIE - A-Level Chemistry - Question 1 - 2010 - Paper 1
Question 1
The ability of an atom in a covalent bond to attract electrons to itself is called its electronegativity. The greater the difference between the electronegativities... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The ability of an atom in a covalent bond to attract electrons to itself is called its electronegativity - CIE - A-Level Chemistry - Question 1 - 2010 - Paper 1
Step 1
Which pair will form the most polar covalent bond between the atoms?
Answer
To determine which pair of atoms forms the most polar covalent bond, we need to consider the electronegativities of each pair of atoms:
- Chlorine (Cl): Electronegativity = 3.16
- Bromine (Br): Electronegativity = 2.96
- Iodine (I): Electronegativity = 2.66
- Fluorine (F): Electronegativity = 3.98
Now we calculate the differences in electronegativity for each option:
- A. Chlorine and Bromine: |3.16 - 2.96| = 0.2
- B. Chlorine and Iodine: |3.16 - 2.66| = 0.5
- C. Fluorine and Chlorine: |3.98 - 3.16| = 0.82
- D. Fluorine and Iodine: |3.98 - 2.66| = 1.32
Comparing the differences:
- The largest difference is found in option D, Fluorine and Iodine, with a difference of 1.32.
Hence, the pair that will form the most polar covalent bond between the atoms is D. Fluorine and Iodine.