Which is correct?
a. Gallium is the most reactive because it has the most neutrons.***
b. Silicon is the most reactive because it is a metalloid.
c. Fluorine is the most reactive because it has 7 valence electrons.
d. Boron is the most reactive because Boron has the least amount of protons.
You don't tell us what this is about. Is this an experiment. Then tell us the details. Is this a question from a text? What's the rest of the question?
the question doesn't say anything else
Then the secret is in what chapter you are studying. It may be electronegativity and how that affects the reactivity. Or it may be about the reactivity of elements in the periodic table. Whatever chapter it is, my best guess is that the most reactive element is F but it isn't because it has 7 electrons. F is the most active element in the periodic table because it has the highest electronegativity of all of the elements. I might point out the F, Cl, Br, I, At all have seven valence electrons so the seven valence electrons isn't the reason for F being the most reactive.
The correct option is c. Fluorine is the most reactive because it has 7 valence electrons.
To determine the correct answer, we need to understand the concept of reactivity and how it is related to the properties of elements.
Reactivity is the tendency of an element to undergo a chemical reaction. It is influenced by various factors such as the number of valence electrons and the atomic structure of an element.
In option a, the statement "Gallium is the most reactive because it has the most neutrons" is incorrect. Neutrons, which are electrically neutral particles found in the nucleus of an atom, do not directly affect an element's reactivity. Reactivity is primarily determined by the arrangement of valence electrons and the interaction they have with other elements.
In option b, the statement "Silicon is the most reactive because it is a metalloid" is incorrect. Although metalloids can exhibit both metallic and non-metallic properties, their reactivity is not solely determined by their classification as a metalloid.
In option c, the statement "Fluorine is the most reactive because it has 7 valence electrons" is correct. Fluorine, with atomic number 9, has 7 valence electrons in its outermost energy level. It only needs to gain one more electron to achieve a stable electron configuration (octet), making it highly reactive to elements that can lose an electron. This tendency to gain one more electron and achieve a stable electron configuration makes fluorine one of the most reactive elements.
In option d, the statement "Boron is the most reactive because Boron has the least amount of protons" is incorrect. The number of protons (atomic number) in an element does not directly determine its reactivity. Reactivity is primarily governed by the behavior of valence electrons.
Therefore, the correct answer is c. Fluorine is the most reactive because it has 7 valence electrons.