Question

Judging from their relative positions in the Periodic Table, which atom in each set is more electronegative? (a) Carbon or nitrogen (b) Chlorine or bromine (c) Oxygen or sulfur

Short answer

Provide a brief explanation based on their positions in the Periodic Table. Answer: (a) Nitrogen is more electronegative than carbon because it is to the right of carbon in the same period, and electronegativity increases across a period. (b) Chlorine is more electronegative than bromine because it is above bromine in the same group, and electronegativity decreases down a group. (c) Oxygen is more electronegative than sulfur because it is above sulfur in the same group, and electronegativity decreases down a group.

Step-by-step solution

Determine the positions of each element in the Periodic Table

First, locate each of the given elements in the Periodic Table and determine their row (period) and column (group) positions. (a) Carbon and nitrogen (b) Chlorine and bromine (c) Oxygen and sulfur

Compare electronegativities based on Periodic Table trends

Compare the electronegativity of each pair of elements based on the trends in the Periodic Table, which state that electronegativity increases across a period (left to right) and decreases down a group (top to bottom). (a) Carbon (C) is to the left of nitrogen (N) in the same period. As electronegativity increases across a period, nitrogen is more electronegative than carbon. (b) Chlorine (Cl) is above bromine (Br) in the same group. As electronegativity decreases down a group, chlorine is more electronegative than bromine. (c) Oxygen (O) is above sulfur (S) in the same group. As electronegativity decreases down a group, oxygen is more electronegative than sulfur.

Summarize the findings

Based on the Periodic Table trends, we can conclude that in each given pair: (a) Nitrogen is more electronegative than carbon. (b) Chlorine is more electronegative than bromine. (c) Oxygen is more electronegative than sulfur.