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Chapter 7: Problem 86

Nearly all the mass of an atom is in the nucleus, which has a very small radius. When atoms bond together (for example, two fluorine atoms in \(\mathrm{F}_{2}\) ), why is the distance separating the nuclei so much larger than the radii of the nuclei?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms, such as two fluorine atoms in F鈧�, is much larger than the radii of the individual nuclei because the bond length is determined by the balance between attractive and repulsive forces. While the attractive forces from sharing electrons promote bonding, repulsive forces between the positively charged nuclei prevent the atoms from getting too close. The bond length represents the equilibrium distance at which the potential energy of the system is minimized, which is considerably larger than the radii of the nuclei.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the structure of an atom

Atoms are comprised of a central region called the nucleus (containing protons and neutrons) and surrounding regions containing electrons. The mass of an atom is mostly concentrated in the nucleus, which is very small in size. The electrons occupy various energy levels, or orbitals, around the nucleus.
02

Understand atomic bonding

Atoms bond together to form molecules through interactions between their electrons. In the case of F鈧�, two fluorine atoms bond together through a covalent bond, where they share a pair of electrons. The bond is a result of the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged nuclei of the two atoms and the negatively charged shared electrons.
03

Consider repulsive forces between nuclei

The nuclei of two atoms have positive charges due to the protons they contain. As a result, they experience repulsive forces from one another according to Coulomb's law. When two atoms come close to each other, their nuclei start to repel each other, making it energetically unfavorable for them to get too close.
04

Understand the bond length

The bond length is defined as the equilibrium distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms. At this distance, the attractive forces between the two nuclei and the shared electrons balance the repulsive forces between the nuclei. Thus, the bond length is determined by the minimum in the potential energy of the system.
05

Relate bond length to the radii of nuclei

While the nuclei of the atoms are indeed very small, the key factor in determining the atomic bond length is the balance between attractive and repulsive forces. Since the repulsive forces between the positively charged nuclei increase as the nuclei get closer, they prevent the bond length from being as small as the radii of the nuclei. The bond length, which is considerably larger than the radii of the nuclei, represents the equilibrium distance between the two nuclei at which the potential energy of the system is minimized.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

(a) What is the trend in first ionization energies as one proceeds down the group 7 A elements? Explain how this trend relates to the variation in atomic radii. (b) What is the trend in first ionization energies as one moves across the fourth period from \(\mathrm{K}\) to \(\mathrm{Kr}\) ? How does this trend compare with the trend in atomic radii?

Compare the elements sodium and magnesium with respect to the following properties: (a) electron configuration, (b) most common ionic charge, (c) first ionization energy, (d) reactivity toward water, (e) atomic radius. Account for the differences between the two elements.

(a) Why is cesium more reactive toward water than is lithium? (b) One of the alkali metals reacts with oxygen to form a solid white substance. When this substance is dissolved in water, the solution gives a positive test for hydrogen peroxide, \(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{2}\). When the solution is tested in a burner flame, a lilac-purple flame is produced. What is the likely identity of the metal? (c) Write a balanced chemical equation for reaction of the white substance with water.

Write balanced equations for the following reactions: (a) barium oxide with water, (b) iron(II) oxide with perchloric acid, (c) sulfur trioxide with water, (d) carbon dioxide with aqueous sodium hydroxide.

(a) If the core electrons were totally effective at shielding the valence electrons and the valence electrons provided no shielding for each other, what would be the effective nuclear charge acting on the 3 s and \(3 p\) valence electrons in \(P\) ? (b) Repeat these calculations using Slater's rules. (c) Detailed calculations indicate that the effective nuclear charge is \(5.6+\) for the 3 s electrons and \(4.9+\) for the \(3 p\) electrons. Why are the values for the 3 s and \(3 p\) electrons different? (d) If you remove a single electron from a \(\mathrm{P}\) atom, which orbital will it come from? Explain.
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