Why do the bond energies decrease in the order Ge-Cl, Ge-Br, Ge-I?

1. Covalent bond energies generally increase as you go down the periodic table
2. Covalent bond energies generally decrease as you go down the periodic table
3.Ionic bond energies generally decrease as you go down the periodic table
4. Ionic bond energies generally increase as you go down the periodic table
5. The polarizability of bonds generally decreases as you go down the periodic table
6. The polarizability of bonds generally increases as you go down the periodic table

To understand why the bond energies decrease in the order Ge-Cl, Ge-Br, Ge-I, we need to consider a few concepts related to covalent and ionic bond energies and polarizability.

1. Covalent bond energies generally increase as you go down the periodic table: This statement is incorrect. Covalent bond energies generally decrease as you go down the periodic table. This is because the atomic size increases down the periodic table, resulting in increased electron-electron repulsion and a larger distance between the nuclei, leading to weaker bonding.

2. Covalent bond energies generally decrease as you go down the periodic table: This statement is correct. As mentioned earlier, covalent bond energies decrease as you go down the periodic table due to larger atomic size and weaker bonding.

3. Ionic bond energies generally decrease as you go down the periodic table: This statement is incorrect. Ionic bond energies generally increase as you go down the periodic table. This is because the decrease in effective nuclear charge (as a result of increased atomic size) outweighs the increase in electron-electron repulsion, leading to weaker bonding in ionic compounds.

4. Ionic bond energies generally increase as you go down the periodic table: This statement is correct. As explained above, the decrease in effective nuclear charge resulting from increased atomic size leads to stronger bonding in ionic compounds as you go down the periodic table.

5. The polarizability of bonds generally decreases as you go down the periodic table: This statement is incorrect. The polarizability of bonds generally increases as you go down the periodic table. Polarizability refers to the ability of an atom's electron cloud to be distorted by an external electric field. Larger atoms have more loosely held electrons and therefore higher polarizability. A higher polarizability leads to stronger attractive forces, resulting in higher bond energies.

6. The polarizability of bonds generally increases as you go down the periodic table: This statement is correct. As explained earlier, larger atoms have increased polarizability due to their more loosely held electrons. Therefore, the polarizability of bonds generally increases as you go down the periodic table.

Based on the information provided, statements 2 and 6 appear to be the most accurate explanations for why the bond energies decrease in the order Ge-Cl, Ge-Br, Ge-I.