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Ch.7 - Periodic Properties of the Elements
All textbooksBrown 14th EditionCh.7 - Periodic Properties of the ElementsProblem 101
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Chapter 7, Problem 101

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?

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Key Concepts

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

Metallic Character

Metallic character refers to the set of properties associated with metals, including their ability to lose electrons easily, conduct electricity, and exhibit malleability and ductility. In the context of the periodic table, metallic character generally increases down a group and decreases across a period. This concept is crucial for understanding the reactivity of elements and their placement in the periodic table.
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Ionization Energy

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom in its gaseous state. It is a key factor in determining an element's metallic character; elements with lower ionization energies tend to lose electrons more easily, making them more metallic. Comparing the first ionization energies of silver and manganese helps to assess their metallic character based on the defined criteria.
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Electrical Conductivity

Electrical conductivity is the ability of a material to conduct electric current, which is a significant property of metals. While conductivity can indicate metallic character, it does not always correlate directly with reactivity or ionization energy. Understanding the differences between conductivity and other properties like ionization energy is essential for accurately determining the metallic nature of elements.
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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.]

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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.

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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.

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Textbook Question

Which of the following is the expected product of the reaction of K(s) and H2(g)? (i) KH(s), (ii) K2H(s), (iii) KH2(s), (iv) K2H2(s), or (v) K(s) and H2(g) will not react with one another.

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Textbook Question

A historian discovers a nineteenth-century notebook in which some observations, dated 1822, were recorded on a substance thought to be a new element. Here are some of the data recorded in the notebook: 'Ductile, silver-white, metallic looking. Softer than lead. Unaffected by water. Stable in air. Melting point: 153 °C. Density: 7.3 g>cm3. Electrical conductivity: 20% that of copper. Hardness: About 1% as hard as iron. When 4.20 g of the unknown is heated in an excess of oxygen, 5.08 g of a white solid is formed. The solid could be sublimed by heating to over 800 °C.' (a) Using information in the text and the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, and making allowances for possible variations in numbers from current values, identify the element reported.

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Textbook Question

We will see in Chapter 12 that semiconductors are materials that conduct electricity better than nonmetals but not as well as metals. The only two elements in the periodic table that are technologically useful semiconductors are silicon and germanium. Integrated circuits in computer chips today are based on silicon. Compound semiconductors are also used in the electronics industry. Examples are gallium arsenide, GaAs; gallium phosphide, GaP; cadmium sulfide, CdS; and cadmium selenide, CdSe. (a) What is the relationship between the compound semiconductors' compositions and the positions of their elements on the periodic table relative to Si and Ge?

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