Question

Order each of the following sets from the least exothermic electron affinity to the most.

(a) $\mathit{F}\mathbf{,}\mathit{C}\mathit{l}\mathbf{,}\mathit{B}\mathit{r}\mathbf{,}\mathit{I}$

(b) $\mathit{N}\mathbf{,}\mathit{O}\mathbf{,}\mathit{F}$

Short answer

Answer

The electron affinity increments across a period from left to right and diminishes moving down to a group in the periodic table.

(a) $I<Br<F<Cl$

(b)$N<O<F$

Step-by-step solution

Determine the order of  F,Cl,Br,I from the least exothermic electron affinity to the most.

The ability of the molecule to acquire an electron is known as the electron affinity of the molecule. An exothermic reaction is noble gas components acquiring an electron. As the electron affinity of components increments across a period from left to right and down to group diminishes. While there is a special case as well, the components having effective atomic charge increments across left to right and down a group in a periodic table. $\mathrm{F}$has high electronegativity that causes more repulsion forces between electrons. Thus, the order is:$I<Br<F<Cl$

Determine the order of  N,O,F from the least exothermic electron affinity to the most.

In case of $N,O,F$there is no exception involved. Here for determining the order of components, we follow the standard rule that is the electron affinity of components increments across a period from left to right and down to group diminishes. Thus, the order is:$N<O<F$

Therefore, the order of sets from least exothermic electron affinity to the most are:

$$\begin{gathered} I<Br<F<Cl \\ N<O<F \end{gathered}$$