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Answer any two of the parts (a), (b) and (c) - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question 10 - 2010
Question 10
Answer any two of the parts (a), (b) and (c). (a) Define electronegativity. State two factors that cause electronegativity values to increase across a period in th... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Answer any two of the parts (a), (b) and (c) - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question 10 - 2010
Step 1
Define electronegativity.
Answer
Electronegativity is defined as the relative measure of attraction or the number expressing the attraction that an atom of an element has for a shared pair of electrons in a covalent bond. It reflects how strongly an atom can attract electrons towards itself when forming a chemical bond.
Step 2
State two factors that cause electronegativity values to increase across a period in the periodic table of the elements.
Answer
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Increasing effective nuclear charge: As you move across a period, the number of protons in the nucleus increases, leading to a greater positive charge that attracts the electrons more strongly.
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Decreasing atomic radius: With a smaller atomic radius, the distance between the nucleus and the valence electrons decreases, which enhances the nucleus's ability to attract shared electrons in a bond.