arrange the following elements in order of increasing electronegativity (top element has the lowest and bottom element with the highest EN)

Question

Cs
Al
Fr
Si

arrange them in the desired order as given above.

and tell me why they are in this order.

Answer 1

The elements arranged in order of increasing electronegativity are:

1. Fr (Francium)
2. Cs (Cesium)
3. Al (Aluminum)
4. Si (Silicon)

Explanation:

1. Francium (Fr): Francium is in Group 1 of the periodic table and is highly electropositive. It has the lowest electronegativity among these elements due to its large atomic size and the fact that it is at the bottom of Group 1, where elements tend to lose electrons rather than attract them.

2. Cesium (Cs): Cesium is also an alkali metal (Group 1), and while it is highly electropositive, it is slightly less so than francium. It has a very low electronegativity, but not as low as francium because francium’s atomic radius leads to a weaker ability to attract electrons.

3. Aluminum (Al): Aluminum is a Group 13 element. It has a higher electronegativity than both cesium and francium because it is further along the periodic table. As we move from left to right across a period, the electronegativity generally increases due to increasing nuclear charge attracting electrons more strongly.

4. Silicon (Si): Silicon is in Group 14 and has the highest electronegativity in this group. It is further right on the periodic table and higher up in the groups, which typically correlates with a higher electronegativity because of increased nuclear charge and a smaller atomic radius compared to the other elements listed.

In summary, electronegativity increases across a period and decreases down a group, explaining the order in which these elements have been arranged.