Question

Column-I: Property; Column-II: Variation of property; Column-III: Magnitude

$\begin{array}{cccccc}& \text{Column-I}& & \text{Column-II}& & \text{Column-III}\\ \text{(I)}& \text{Electron a affinity}\left(E{A}_1\right)& \left(i\right)& \text{Decreases along the period}& \left(P\right)& \text{Highest in halogen in their respective periods}\\ \left(II\right)& \text{Ionization energy}\left(I{E}_1\right)& \left(ii\right)& \text{Directly proportional to}{Z}_{eff}& \left(Q\right)& \text{Highest in noble gases in their respective periods}\\ \left(III\right)& \text{Electronegativity}& \left(iii\right)& \text{Decreases down the group}& \left(R\right)& \text{Highest in alkali metals in their respective periods}\\ \left(IV\right)& \text{Electropositive character}& \left(iv\right)& \text{Inversly proportional to size}& \left(S\right)& \text{Moderate in noble gases in their respective periods}\end{array}$

The only correct combination for the tendency of an atom to attract a shared pair of electrons towards itself in the bound state is:

• A. (I) (ii) (P)
• B. (I) (iii) (Q)
• C. (III) (ii) (P)
• D. (III) (iii) (Q)

Answer 1

The correct option is C

(III) (ii) (P)

The question explicitly requires us to assess the ability of an atom's nucleus to attract the electron cloud corresponding to a shared bond (bound state); in other words, we are looking at electronegativity.

It decreases down the group and in general increases within the same period (until the corresponding halogens at least). From the given options, (III) (ii) (P) is the most sensible one.