Which pair of elements would form a bond with the greatest polarity?
Sulfur (S) and oxygen (O) will form a bond with the greatest polarity because they have the least difference in electronegativity, thus, forming a polar covalent bond.
Fluorine (F) and carbon (C) will form a bond with the greatest polarity because the two nonmetals have the greatest difference in electronegativity, thus forming a polar covalent compound.
Hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) will form a bond with the greatest polarity because the two nonmetals have the greatest difference in electronegativity, thus forming an ionic compound.
Cesium (Cs) and fluorine (F) will form a bond with the greatest polarity because the metal and nonmetal have the greatest difference in electronegativity, thus forming an ionic compound.
To determine which pair of elements would form a bond with the greatest polarity, we need to look at the difference in electronegativity between the two elements. Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract electrons towards itself in a chemical bond.
The greater the difference in electronegativity between two elements, the more polar the bond between them will be. A polar bond occurs when one atom in the bond has a higher electronegativity than the other, causing the shared electrons to be pulled towards the more electronegative atom.
Let's compare the electronegativities of the elements listed:
- Sulfur (S) has an electronegativity of 2.58.
- Oxygen (O) has an electronegativity of 3.44.
The difference in electronegativity between sulfur and oxygen is 0.86 (3.44 - 2.58), which is relatively small. This suggests that the bond between sulfur and oxygen will have a moderate amount of polarity, making it less likely to have the greatest polarity compared to other pairs.
- Fluorine (F) has an electronegativity of 3.98.
- Carbon (C) has an electronegativity of 2.55.
The difference in electronegativity between fluorine and carbon is 1.43 (3.98 - 2.55), which is larger than the difference between sulfur and oxygen. This indicates that the bond between fluorine and carbon will have a greater amount of polarity, making it more likely to have the greatest polarity compared to other pairs.
- Hydrogen (H) has an electronegativity of 2.20.
- Oxygen (O) has an electronegativity of 3.44.
The difference in electronegativity between hydrogen and oxygen is 1.24 (3.44 - 2.20). This difference is greater than that between sulfur and oxygen but smaller than the difference between fluorine and carbon. Therefore, the bond between hydrogen and oxygen will have a significant amount of polarity but is less likely to have the greatest polarity compared to other pairs.
- Cesium (Cs) has an electronegativity of 0.79.
- Fluorine (F) has an electronegativity of 3.98.
The difference in electronegativity between cesium and fluorine is 3.19 (3.98 - 0.79), which is the largest difference among all the pairs listed. This suggests that the bond between cesium and fluorine will have the greatest polarity compared to the other pairs.
In conclusion, the pair of elements that would form a bond with the greatest polarity is cesium (Cs) and fluorine (F) because they have the largest difference in electronegativity.