Covalent and Ionic Bonding Quick Check

Question

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Question
Use the table to answer the question.

Element Electronegativity
bromine 2.8
oxygen 3.5
nitrogen 3.0
phosphorus 2.1
Based on the information in the table, which pair of elements would likely form the least polar bonds with each other?

(1 point)
Responses

bromine and nitrogen
bromine and nitrogen

oxygen and phosphorus
oxygen and phosphorus

phosphorus and bromine
phosphorus and bromine

nitrogen and oxygen
nitrogen and oxygen
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Answer 1

To determine which pair of elements would likely form the least polar bonds with each other, we need to calculate the difference in electronegativity between the pairs.

Here are the electronegativity values for the elements:

• Bromine (Br): 2.8
• Oxygen (O): 3.5
• Nitrogen (N): 3.0
• Phosphorus (P): 2.1

Now, let's find the differences in electronegativity for each pair:

1. Bromine and Nitrogen:
   |2.8 - 3.0| = 0.2

2. Oxygen and Phosphorus:
   |3.5 - 2.1| = 1.4

3. Phosphorus and Bromine:
   |2.1 - 2.8| = 0.7

4. Nitrogen and Oxygen:
   |3.0 - 3.5| = 0.5

From these calculations, the differences in electronegativity indicate that:

• Bromine and Nitrogen have the smallest difference (0.2), which suggests they would form the least polar bond.
• The other pairs have larger differences: Oxygen and Phosphorus (1.4), Phosphorus and Bromine (0.7), and Nitrogen and Oxygen (0.5).

Therefore, the answer is:

Bromine and Nitrogen.