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Chapter 7: Problem 50

If the electron affinity for an element is a negative number, does it mean that the anion of the element is more stable than the neutral atom? Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified
If the electron affinity for an element is a negative number, it means that the anion of the element is more stable than the neutral atom. This is because a negative electron affinity indicates an exothermic process where energy is released upon electron addition, leading to a lower energy state and increased stability for the anion compared to the neutral atom. This stability arises from the more stable electron configuration achieved by the anion.

Step by step solution

01

Understand Electron Affinity

Electron affinity is the energy change that occurs when an electron is added to a neutral atom in the gaseous state to form an anion. It is a measure of the atom's ability to attract and accept an additional electron. A highly negative electron affinity means that the energy released when an electron is added to the atom is large, which indicates that the atom has a strong attraction for electrons.
02

Recognize the Significance of a Negative Electron Affinity Value

A negative electron affinity means that energy is released when an electron is added to the element, and the formation of the anion is considered to be an exothermic process. An exothermic process indicates that the system is losing energy, making it more stable after the process has occurred.
03

Compare the Stability of the Anion and Neutral Atom

When energy is released after an electron is added to the atom, the new anion formed will have a lower energy state and increased stability compared to the neutral atom. This is because atoms strive to achieve lower energy states, usually by filling their outer electron shells. When an atom gains an electron and forms an anion, the added electron can help the atom achieve a more stable electron configuration, thereby result in a more stable anion.
04

Conclusion

So, if the electron affinity for an element is a negative number, it means that the anion of the element is more stable than the neutral atom. This is because the addition of an electron to the atom results in the release of energy, leading to a more stable, lower-energy anionic state.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Arrange the following oxides in order of increasing acidity: \(\mathrm{CO}_{2}, \mathrm{CaO}, \mathrm{Al}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{3}, \mathrm{SO}_{3}, \mathrm{SiO}_{2}, \mathrm{P}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{5} .\)

Write a balanced equation for the reaction that occurs in each of the following cases: (a) Potassium metal is exposed to an atmosphere of chlorine gas. (b) Strontium oxide is added to water. (c) A fresh surface of lithium metal is exposed to oxygen gas. (d) Sodium metal reacts with molten sulfur.

(a) If the core electrons were totally effective at screening the valence electrons and the valence electrons provided no screening for each other, what would be the effective nuclear charge acting on the 3\(s\) and 3p 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 Patom,which orbital will it come from?

Among elements 1-18, which element or elements have the smallest effective nuclear charge if we use Equation 7.1 to calculate \(Z_{\text { eff}}\)? Which element or elements have the largest effective nuclear charge?

Which of the following statements about effective nuclear charge for the outermost valence electron of an atom is incorrect? (i) The effective nuclear charge can be thought of as the true nuclear charge minus a screening constant due to the other electrons in the atom. (ii) Effective nuclear charge increases going left to right across a row of the periodic table. (iii) Valence electrons screen the nuclear charge more effectively than do core electrons. (iv) The effective nuclear charge shows a sudden decrease when we go from the end of one row to the beginning of the next row of the periodic table. (v) The change in effective nuclear charge going down a column of the periodic table is generally less than that going across a row of the periodic table.
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