Consider two hypothetical elements, L and J. Element L has an electron affinity
ID: 1065757 • Letter: C
Question
Consider two hypothetical elements, L and J. Element L has an electron affinity of -55 kJ/mol, and element J has an electron affinity of-175 kJ/mol. Removing an electron from element L requires more, less, the same, or cannot be determined energy than removing an electron from element J? Justify. If elements L and J are in the same period of the periodic table, which atom would you expect to have the greater atomic radius? Justify. Assuming that the elements are in the same period, which element would you expect to have smaller first ionization energy? Assuming that the elements are in the same period, do the valence electrons in element L feel a greater, lesser, equal, or cannot be determined effective nuclear charge than those valence electrons in element J? Justify.Explanation / Answer
a. Removing an electron from L requires less energy than removing an electron from J. (Since J has large electron affinity (EA), it will have smaller atomic radius than L and hence have strong attraction to valence electrons. So removing an electron from J needs more energy).
b. L will have greater atomic radius than that of J. (Since EA is the energy released when an electron is added to a neutral atom, the greater the attraction between nucleus and the outermost electrons greater will be the energy released. Since J has more EA it must have smaller atomic radius).
c. L will have smaller first ionization energy than that of J. (Since L has large atomic radius than that of J).
d. The valence electrons in L feel lesser effective nuclear than than compared to those of J. (L has large radius and the effective charge of nucleus diminishes with distance.)