Question

Ignoring tables of electronegativity values and guided only by the periodic table, arrange these atoms in order of increasing electronegativity: O, F, S, Si, K. Briefly explain your reasoning.

Short answer

The increasing order of electronegativity of the elements oxygen (O), fluorine (F), sulfur (S), silicon (Si), and potassium (K) is

K < Si < S < O < F

Step-by-step solution

Electronegativity.

The tendency of the atom to attract the bonded pair of electrons is called electronegativity.

The electronegativity of the elements decreases as we move down in periodic from top to bottom in groups. In contrast, electronegativity increases as we move from left to right in the periods.

As we move from top to bottom in groups, the distance between electrons and nuclei increases, due to which the nuclear charge decreases.

From left to right in the periods, the distance between the electrons and nuclei is about the same since the differentiating electrons occupy the same shell, and the effective nuclear charge increases.

Arrange the given atoms to increase electronegativity.

The metal components are electropositive, while the non-metal components are electronegative.

The potassium (K) element is themetal. Potassium has alower electronegativity.

Oxygen and Fluorine (F) are the second-period elements, while Silicon (Si) and Sulfur (S) are the third-period elements.

The atomic radii of third-period elements are more than the second-period elements. Therefore the third-period elements Sulfur and Silicon are expected to be less electronegativity than the second-period elements oxygen and fluorine.

Since fluorine lies to the left of the oxygen, so fluorine is more electronegative than the oxygen element.

The sulfur lies to the left of the silicon, so sulfur is more electronegative than silicon.

Therefore, the increasing order of the electronegativity of the given elements is shown below.

K < Si < S < O < F