What element(s) are more polarizable than oxygen? How can you tell? Wouldn't fluorine be most polarizable, because it is the most electronegative?
http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Physical_Chemistry/Quantum_Mechanics/Atomic_Theory/Intermolecular_Forces/Polarizability
Polarizability increases down the periodic table in a family. It also increases from right to left. Fluorine is out of the picture, compared to oxygen.
Chlorine
To determine which element(s) are more polarizable than oxygen, we need to consider factors beyond electronegativity. While fluorine is indeed the most electronegative element, it might not necessarily be the most polarizable.
Polarizability refers to the ease with which an electron cloud can be distorted by an external electric field. Larger atoms or atoms with more diffuse electron clouds tend to be more polarizable because their electrons are farther away from the positively charged nucleus, making them less tightly held.
One way to determine which elements are more polarizable is to examine their size and atomic structure. Larger atoms, especially those with more electron shells, generally have more polarizable electron clouds. Consequently, elements in the same row or period that are larger in size than oxygen, such as sulfur (S), selenium (Se), and tellurium (Te), tend to be more polarizable.
Additionally, elements in lower groups or families of the periodic table tend to have more diffuse electron clouds and are therefore more polarizable. For example, halogens like iodine (I) and astatine (At) are more polarizable than oxygen.
In summary, while electronegativity is a useful guideline, it is not the sole factor in determining polarizability. The size and atomic structure of an element also play crucial roles in assessing its polarizability.