which of the following is not highly ionic?
BeO, BaO, CaO, SrO, MgO
BeO has the least ionic character of those listed.
To determine which compound has the least ionic character among the options (BeO, BaO, CaO, SrO, MgO), we need to consider the electronegativity difference between the two elements in each compound. The larger the electronegativity difference, the more likely it is for a compound to have ionic character.
The electronegativity of an element can be found on the periodic table. Electronegativity generally increases from left to right across a period and decreases from top to bottom within a group.
Let's find the electronegativity difference for each compound:
- BeO: Beryllium (Be) has an electronegativity of 1.57, while Oxygen (O) has an electronegativity of 3.44. The electronegativity difference is 3.44 - 1.57 = 1.87.
- BaO: Barium (Ba) has an electronegativity of 0.89, while Oxygen (O) has an electronegativity of 3.44. The electronegativity difference is 3.44 - 0.89 = 2.55.
- CaO: Calcium (Ca) has an electronegativity of 1.0, while Oxygen (O) has an electronegativity of 3.44. The electronegativity difference is 3.44 - 1.0 = 2.44.
- SrO: Strontium (Sr) has an electronegativity of 0.95, while Oxygen (O) has an electronegativity of 3.44. The electronegativity difference is 3.44 - 0.95 = 2.49.
- MgO: Magnesium (Mg) has an electronegativity of 1.31, while Oxygen (O) has an electronegativity of 3.44. The electronegativity difference is 3.44 - 1.31 = 2.13.
From the calculations, we can see that BeO has the smallest electronegativity difference, which indicates that it has the least ionic character among the options given. Therefore, BeO is not highly ionic compared to the other compounds listed.