For which element is the gaining of an electron most exothermic?
a)Li
b)N
c)F
d)B
*explain
The gaining of an electron is most exothermic for the element with the highest electron affinity, which refers to the ability of an atom to attract and bind an additional electron.
In this case, let's compare the electron affinities of the given elements:
a) Lithium (Li): Lithium has a relatively low electron affinity. Since it is in Group 1 of the periodic table, its outermost electron is in an s-orbital, which is farther away from the nucleus and not as strongly attracted.
b) Nitrogen (N): Nitrogen has a relatively high electron affinity. Its outermost electrons are in a p-orbital, which is closer to the nucleus and more attracted, making it more likely for nitrogen to accept an additional electron.
c) Fluorine (F): Fluorine has the highest electron affinity among the given elements. It is in Group 17 (or 7A) of the periodic table, where elements are referred to as halogens. Halogens have a strong desire to gain an electron to achieve a stable noble gas configuration. Since fluorine is the first element in this group, it has the highest electron affinity.
d) Boron (B): Boron has a relatively low electron affinity. Its outermost electrons are in a p-orbital, but since it is in Group 13 (or 3A), it has a lower attraction for an additional electron compared to elements from Group 15 (or 5A) like nitrogen.
Therefore, the element with the gaining of an electron most exothermic is c) Fluorine (F), due to its high electron affinity.
To determine the element for which the gaining of an electron is most exothermic, we need to consider the ionization energy. The ionization energy is the amount of energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion in the gaseous state.
In general, the ionization energy increases across a period (from left to right) on the periodic table and decreases down a group (from top to bottom). This means that it generally becomes more difficult to remove an electron from an atom as you move across a period and easier as you move down a group.
To find the element with the most exothermic electron gain, we need to identify the element with the highest ionization energy. Higher ionization energy values indicate atoms that strongly hold onto their electrons and are less likely to gain additional ones.
Now, let's examine the provided options and their positions on the periodic table:
a) Li (Lithium) is in Group 1 and Period 2.
b) N (Nitrogen) is in Group 15 and Period 2.
c) F (Fluorine) is in Group 17 and Period 2.
d) B (Boron) is in Group 13 and Period 2.
Given this information, let's analyze the options:
a) Li is in Group 1, which means it has a relatively low ionization energy since it is easier to remove an electron from Group 1 elements. Therefore, gaining an electron for Li would be less exothermic compared to the other options.
b) N is in Group 15, which means it has a higher ionization energy than Li since it requires more energy to remove an electron from group 15 elements. Gaining an electron for N would be more exothermic compared to Li but less exothermic compared to the remaining options.
c) F is in Group 17, also known as the halogen group. Elements in this group have the highest ionization energy values due to their strong electron-holding abilities. Therefore, the gaining of an electron for F would be the most exothermic compared to the previous options.
d) B is in Group 13. While it has a higher ionization energy compared to Li and N, it is still lower than the ionization energy of F. Therefore, while gaining an electron for B would be more exothermic compared to Li and N, it would be less exothermic compared to F.
To conclude, the element for which gaining an electron is most exothermic among the provided options is (c) F (Fluorine).