Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Final Exam Review #9

Explain which group in the periodic table has the highest electronegativity values? Why do noble gases tend to have electro negativities of zero?

Halogens have the highest electronegativity values because as you move across to the right of the periodic table, the elements want to attract more electrons and protons to make the configuration more stable.  Halogens have the largest, greatest desire to attract one more electron to become a noble gas stable configuration.

Green squares are the halogens
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/images/38_modern_periodic_table.jpg
Noble gases tend to have electro negativities of zero because they have a stable configuration and do not want to attract electrons when their atoms are in a stable compound.

4 comments:

  1. I think that I agree with your answer, but I have some supplementary information that I would like you to consider:
    First off, electronegativity is one word, but that's just a triviality. Halogens do have the highest electronegativities, I agree! However, you say that these atoms want to attract "protons." They never want to attract protons, just electrons. Moreover, attracting another electron doesn't make the element into a noble gas, it just gives it a noble gas's electron configuration.
    Noble gasses do have electronegativities of zero, usually. I completely agree with the second half of your answer.
    Lastly, I don't see a citation for the picture. I suggest that that be added.
    On the whole, well done!

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  2. Marcy great job! i agree with cyrus, the atoms never attract protons because that is what makes them the unique atom that they are. I also think an explanation on why the noble gas configuration is so stable (all the orbitals and energy levels are filled) would have been helpful. I love the picture and you did a great job!!

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  3. Marcy you did a really good job!!! i think your answer is correct but i agree with cyrus and kellye about thet atom not wanting to attract protons, and how you can only change the element to have a nobel gas configuration, not change it to a noble gas. overall i think the pictures were really good and you did a great job

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  4. Kellye's second point is essential for everyone to consider. I noticed that on a number of quest answers. People understood that atoms gain electrons to gain the stable electron configuration of a noble gas but they did not explain why this is a stable state. Thank you for pointing it out.

    It is also important to make sure you specify that it is a stable ELECTRON configuration. I have noticed a number of people leaving out this word. It is only the electron configuration that mimics a noble gas. Atoms don't actually become noble gases.

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