Of the following, __________ is the most metallic.
Question 7 options:
a) hydrogen
b) barium
c) scandium
d) calcium
e) cesium
b) barium
To determine which of the given elements is the most metallic, we need to look at the periodic table and compare their positions.
The metallic character of an element generally increases as we move from the right side to the left side of the periodic table, and from the top to the bottom. Metals tend to lose electrons and form cations, whereas nonmetals tend to gain electrons and form anions.
Looking at the given options:
a) Hydrogen is a nonmetal, as it is located on the right side of the periodic table.
b) Barium and c) Scandium are both metals, but Scandium is closer to the left side of the periodic table, so it would be considered more metallic between the two.
d) Calcium is also a metal, located further to the left than Scandium, making it more metallic than Scandium.
e) Cesium is located in the far leftmost column of the periodic table, known as the alkali metals. Therefore, cesium is the most metallic among the given options.
So, the correct answer is e) cesium.
To determine which element is the most metallic among the given options (hydrogen, barium, scandium, calcium, cesium), you can refer to the periodic table. The metallic character generally increases as you move from left to right across a period and decreases as you move down a group.
In this case, the most metallic element can be identified by looking at the group number. Based on the options given, the element with the highest group number is:
e) cesium
Therefore, cesium would be the most metallic among the given options.