Between which two elements is the difference in electronegativity the greatest?

• A. C and Si
• B. Li and I
• C. Na and P
• D. K and F
• E. Br and Cl

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of electronegativity: Electronegativity is a measure of the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair of electrons. The higher the electronegativity, the more an atom attracts electrons.
2. Identify the electronegativity values: Use a periodic table or a chart of electronegativity values to find the electronegativity of each element involved in the pairs given in the problem.
3. Calculate the difference in electronegativity for each pair: Subtract the smaller electronegativity value from the larger one for each pair of elements. For example, if element A has an electronegativity of 3.0 and element B has 1.0, the difference is 2.0.
4. Compare the differences: Once you have the differences for each pair, compare them to determine which pair has the greatest difference in electronegativity.
5. Conclude with the correct pair: Based on the calculated differences, identify the pair with the greatest difference in electronegativity, which is K and F in this case.