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Q: Why does lithium have a low electron negativity when fluorine has a high electron negativity?
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What elements has the largest electron affinity?

AnswerElectron affinity is the energy released when we add an electron to the outermost orbit of the atom. Halogens are the higher in electron affinity, and chlorine has the higher electron affinity than rest of the halogens. The irregularity in the electron affinity trend between Cl and F is due to the small size of the F atom. Although F definitely has a higher attraction for an electron than Cl (as evidenced by its high electro negativity value), the small size of the F atom means that adding an electron creates significant repulsion. Since electron affinity is an energy measurement, the total energy associated with electron affinity winds up being the energy that is released by the electron binding to the nucleus, minus the energy involved in overcoming the electrical repulsion in the outer shell.This makes the fluoride anion so formed unstable due to a very high charge/mass ratio. Also, fluorine has no d electrons which limits its atomic size. As a result, fluorine has an electron affinity less than that of chlorine.


What is the molecular formula of lithium and Fluorine?

Lithium is a metal, so is referred to as a metallic lattice, so molecular formula doesnt apply. gaseous lithium can form Li2 at high temperatures. Fluorine forms F2 gas in its standard molecular state


How would hydrogen and fluorine covalently bond?

They would share an electron, but given any opportunity at all, the fluorine will hog the electron leaving the hydrogen high and positive.


Why does chlorine have more electron affinity than fluorine although it is below fluorine in periodic table?

Generally electron affinity goes up as you go from left to right across the periodic table, and decreases as you go down a column. However, fluorine is an exception -- and the element with the highest electron affinity is chlorine.(Note that the most electronegative element is fluorine however; 'electronegativity' is not exactly the same as 'electron affinity'.)Electronegativity is the ability of an atom in a molecule to draw bonding electrons to itselfElectron affinity is a measure of the energy change when an electron is added to a neutral atom to form a negative ion.The reason that the electron affinity is not as high as might otherwise be predicted for fluorine, is that it is an extremely small atom, and so it's electron density is very high. Adding an additional electron is therefore not quite as favorable as for an element like chlorine where the electron density is slightly lower (due to electron-electron repulsion between the added electron and the other electrons in the electron cloud).


Why the electron affinity of fluorine is less than that of chlorine?

Generally electron affinity goes up as you go from left to right across the Periodic Table, and decreases as you go down a column. However, fluorine is an exception -- and the element with the highest electron affinity is chlorine (note that the most electronegative element is fluorine however).The reason that the electron affinity is not as high as might otherwise be predicted for fluorine is that it is an extremely small atom, and so it's electron density is very high. Adding an additional electron is therefore not quite as favorable as for an element like chlorine where the electron density is slightly lower (due to electron-electron repulsion between the added electron and the other electrons in the electron cloud).Note that there are a number of other exceptions to the general rule of electron affinity increasing towards the upper right corner -- see the Related Questions links to the left for an explanation of some of those other exceptions.See also the Web Links to the left for more information about electron affinities and the fluorine-chlorine exception.

Related questions

What can you tell about an atom that has high electron negativity?

It is an anion.


What elements has the largest electron affinity?

AnswerElectron affinity is the energy released when we add an electron to the outermost orbit of the atom. Halogens are the higher in electron affinity, and chlorine has the higher electron affinity than rest of the halogens. The irregularity in the electron affinity trend between Cl and F is due to the small size of the F atom. Although F definitely has a higher attraction for an electron than Cl (as evidenced by its high electro negativity value), the small size of the F atom means that adding an electron creates significant repulsion. Since electron affinity is an energy measurement, the total energy associated with electron affinity winds up being the energy that is released by the electron binding to the nucleus, minus the energy involved in overcoming the electrical repulsion in the outer shell.This makes the fluoride anion so formed unstable due to a very high charge/mass ratio. Also, fluorine has no d electrons which limits its atomic size. As a result, fluorine has an electron affinity less than that of chlorine.


Which has high ionisation energy lithium or lithium plus?

lithium plus. removing electron from something that is positive is much harder.


What is the molecular formula of lithium and Fluorine?

Lithium is a metal, so is referred to as a metallic lattice, so molecular formula doesnt apply. gaseous lithium can form Li2 at high temperatures. Fluorine forms F2 gas in its standard molecular state


How would hydrogen and fluorine covalently bond?

They would share an electron, but given any opportunity at all, the fluorine will hog the electron leaving the hydrogen high and positive.


Does Lithium has high electron reduction potential and why?

Yes,because of it small sieze and high charge to sieze


Which has highest electron gain enthalpy between chlorine and fluorine and why?

Even though Fluorine has the highest electronegativity among all the elements and it should have the highest electron gain enthalpy among all the halogens but this is an exception and chlorine has higher electron gain enthalpy than Fluorine. The reason for this is that the size of Fluorine atom is very small and hence there is very high inter-electronic repulsion among the electrons of fluorine. This makes incoming of another electron not very favourable. Even though fluorine has large negative electron gain enthalpy but for chlorine its even more negative.


Hydrogen chloride has a much higher boiling point than diatomic fluorine because?

Fluorine has small sized molecules with high electro-negativity thus the high polarity. The high polarity causes the strong bonding of hydrogen with HF molecules and needs high amount of heat to convert HF from a liquid state to a gaseous state.


Why does chlorine have more electron affinity than fluorine although it is below fluorine in periodic table?

Generally electron affinity goes up as you go from left to right across the periodic table, and decreases as you go down a column. However, fluorine is an exception -- and the element with the highest electron affinity is chlorine.(Note that the most electronegative element is fluorine however; 'electronegativity' is not exactly the same as 'electron affinity'.)Electronegativity is the ability of an atom in a molecule to draw bonding electrons to itselfElectron affinity is a measure of the energy change when an electron is added to a neutral atom to form a negative ion.The reason that the electron affinity is not as high as might otherwise be predicted for fluorine, is that it is an extremely small atom, and so it's electron density is very high. Adding an additional electron is therefore not quite as favorable as for an element like chlorine where the electron density is slightly lower (due to electron-electron repulsion between the added electron and the other electrons in the electron cloud).


Why the electron affinity of fluorine is less than that of chlorine?

Generally electron affinity goes up as you go from left to right across the Periodic Table, and decreases as you go down a column. However, fluorine is an exception -- and the element with the highest electron affinity is chlorine (note that the most electronegative element is fluorine however).The reason that the electron affinity is not as high as might otherwise be predicted for fluorine is that it is an extremely small atom, and so it's electron density is very high. Adding an additional electron is therefore not quite as favorable as for an element like chlorine where the electron density is slightly lower (due to electron-electron repulsion between the added electron and the other electrons in the electron cloud).Note that there are a number of other exceptions to the general rule of electron affinity increasing towards the upper right corner -- see the Related Questions links to the left for an explanation of some of those other exceptions.See also the Web Links to the left for more information about electron affinities and the fluorine-chlorine exception.


What conclusion can be drawn from the statement that an element has high electron affinity high electronegativity and a high ionization energy?

This element is a very reactive nonmetal as fluorine or chlorine.


What would be the electrical charge of fluorine atom that gained an electron?

It would be -1 because gaining an electron will create a negative charge. F has a high electron affinity and therefore becomes an F- ion quite readily.