Is the following statement true? “Hydrogen has the smallest bonding atomic radius of any element that forms chemical compounds.” If not, correct it. If it is, explain in terms of electron configurations.

Verified step by step guidance

First, understand the concept of atomic radius. The atomic radius is the distance from the nucleus of an atom to the outermost electrons. In bonding situations, the bonding atomic radius is often smaller than the atomic radius of the isolated atom.

Next, consider the electron configuration of hydrogen. Hydrogen has an electron configuration of \(

1^{s} 1

\), meaning it has one electron in its 1s orbital.

Compare hydrogen's atomic radius with other elements. Hydrogen is unique because it has only one electron and one proton, resulting in a very small atomic radius. However, helium, with an electron configuration of \(

1^{s} 2

\), has a smaller atomic radius due to increased nuclear charge pulling the electrons closer.

Consider the elements that form chemical compounds. Helium does not typically form compounds under normal conditions, so hydrogen is often considered to have the smallest bonding atomic radius among elements that commonly form compounds.

Conclude by evaluating the statement. The statement is true in the context of elements that form chemical compounds, as hydrogen has the smallest bonding atomic radius due to its simple electron configuration and lack of inner electron shielding.

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Atomic Radius

Atomic radius refers to the size of an atom, typically measured from the nucleus to the outermost electron shell. In the context of bonding atomic radius, it specifically describes the distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms. Hydrogen, being the lightest element, has a small atomic radius, but other elements can have smaller bonding radii when considering their electron configurations and the nature of their bonds.

Electron Configuration

Electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's electron shells and subshells. For hydrogen, the electron configuration is 1s¹, indicating one electron in the first shell. This simple configuration allows hydrogen to form bonds easily, but it does not necessarily mean it has the smallest bonding atomic radius when compared to other elements that can have more compact electron arrangements in certain bonding scenarios.

Bonding and Hybridization

Bonding refers to the interactions that hold atoms together in compounds, while hybridization is the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals for bonding. In some cases, elements like helium or lithium can exhibit smaller effective bonding radii due to their unique electron configurations and hybridization states, which can lead to stronger or more compact bonding than hydrogen, despite hydrogen's small atomic size.

Recommended video:

Guided course

00:51

Hybridization

Related Practice

Textbook Question

Identify two ions that have the following ground-state electron configurations: (c) [Kr]5s²4d¹⁰

Textbook Question

Which of the following chemical equations is connected to the definitions of (a) the first ionization energy of oxygen (i) O1g2 + e-¡O-1g2 (ii) O1g2¡O+1g2 + e- (iii) O1g2 + 2 e-¡O2-1g2 (iv) O1g2¡O2+1g2 + 2 e- (v) O+1g2¡O2+1g2 + e-

Textbook Question

The electron affinities, in kJ>mol, for the group 11 and group 12 metals are as follows: Cu -119 Zn 7 0 Ag -126 Cd 7 0 Au -223 Hg 7 0 (b) Why do the electron affinities of the group 11 elements become more negative as we move down the group? [Hint: Examine the trends in the electron affinities of other groups as we proceed down the periodic table.]

Textbook Question

Hydrogen is an unusual element because it behaves in some ways like the alkali metal elements and in other ways like nonmetals. Its properties can be explained in part by its electron configuration and by the values for its ionization energy and electron affinity. (a) Explain why the electron affinity of hydrogen is much closer to the values for the alkali elements than for the halogens.

Textbook Question

The first ionization energy of the oxygen molecule is the energy required for the following process: O21g2¡O2 +1g2 + e- The energy needed for this process is 1175 kJ>mol, very similar to the first ionization energy of Xe. Would you expect O2 to react with F2? If so, suggest a product or products of this reaction.

views

Textbook Question

It is possible to define metallic character as we do in this book and base it on the reactivity of the element and the ease with which it loses electrons. Alternatively, one could measure how well electricity is conducted by each of the elements to determine how 'metallic' the elements are. On the basis of conductivity, there is not much of a trend in the periodic table: Silver is the most conductive metal, and manganese the least. Look up the first ionization energies of silver and manganese; which of these two elements would you call more metallic based on the way we define it in this book?