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Question

Which of the following elements fwill gain one electron more readily in comparison to other elements of their group?
(a) S(g) (b) Na (g) (c) O (g) (d) Cl(g)

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Solution

Answer: (a) S(g) and (d) Cl(g)

The Chlorine has the highest tendency to gain an electron and its electron gain enthalpy (-ve) is high. O and S belong to group 16 but S has a larger tendency to accept an electron.

Chlorine has the highest tendency to gain one electron because by doing so, it acquires the stable electronic configuration of the nearest noble gas, i.e. argon. Sulphur and oxygen belong to group 16 but the size of oxygen is much smaller than that of sulphur.
As a result, when an electron is added to them, the electron repulsions in the smaller 2p - subshell of oxygen are comparatively stronger than those present in the bigger 3p - subshell of sulphur. Therefore, s has a higher tendency to gain an electron than O.
Na, on the other hand, has only one electronin thee valence shell and hence has a strong tendency to lose rather than gain one electron.


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