Assignment Unit-1

1. What is effective nuclear charge (Z eff)? Discuss the different factors affecting the
Zeff. Why do the effective nuclear charge (Z eff) increases from left to right across a
period and decreases down the group?
2. What is shielding/screening effect? How does it affect the Z eff? How does the
shielding effect vary within a period and down a group?
3. What is penetration power? Compare the penetration power of different orbital
with probability density plot.
4. What is meant by periodicity in properties of element? Name the properties
showing periodicity in the periodic table?
5. Why are s-block elements good reducing agents?
6. Write the general electronic configuration of s, p, d and f-block elements with
examples.
7. How does metallic character change across the p-block elements?
8. What are the two series of inner transition elements in the f-block? Why they are
placed below the main body of the table.
9. What is atomic radius? Why is it difficult to directly measure the atomic radius
of an individual atom? Name the method to measure the atomic radii? How is the
atomic radius of a nonmetal determined and what is the name of this bond in case
of nonmetals?
10. How is the atomic radius of a metal determined and what is the name of this
bond?
11. What is the van der Waals radius, and why noble gas form this type of bond?
12. If the inter-nuclear distance between two chlorine atoms in a Cl 2 molecule is
198 pm, what is the covalent radius of chlorine?
13. What is the metallic radius of an atom ‘X’ if the distance between two adjacent
‘X ’atoms in solid form is 270pm?
14. What is the general trend in atomic radii as you move down a group in the
periodic table and explain the reason?
15. What happens to atomic radii as you move from left to right across a period in
the periodic table within the s and p blocks?
16. Why do the atomic radii of the 2nd and 3rd rows of d-block elements appear
similar in size?
17. What is lanthanide contraction? Which contraction is stronger lanthanide(4f)
or actinide(5f) and why?
18. Why the size of a cation is less and that of anion more than its atom? What is
the trend in ionic radii across the period and down the group? Mention the cause of
the trend.
19. What is ionization energy? In what units are ionization energies expressed?
How is the second ionization energy (IE 2) defined? Which energy is greater
between the first and second ionization energies?
20. How does ionization enthalpy differ from ionization energy? Name any two
factors that influence ionization energy and enthalpy?
21. Write the trend in ionization enthalpy as you move down a group? Describe the
three factors that contribute to the change in ionization enthalpy down a group.
22. Why does ionization enthalpy generally increase from left to right across a
period?
23. Explain the deviation in ionization enthalpy between beryllium (Be) and boron
(B) in the periodic table.
24. Why does oxygen (O) have a lower ionization enthalpy than nitrogen (N),
despite having a greater atomic number?
25. What is electron gain enthalpy? What units are used to measure electron gain
enthalpy? How is the sign convention for electron gain enthalpy different from
electron affinity?
26. Why does electron gain enthalpy increase across a period and decrease down a
group in the periodic table?
27. Why do sulfur (S) and chlorine (Cl) have larger electron gain enthalpies than
oxygen (O) and fluorine (F)?
29. What is electronegativity? Define it taking a suitable example. Name the
different scale to express the electronegativity of element. Which electronegativity
scale is widely accepted
30. How did Linus Pauling calculate electronegativity?
31. which is the most electronegative element in the periodic table and What value
did Linus Pauling arbitrarily assign to it’s electronegativity?
32. How did Robert Mulliken define electronegativity and write the formula?
33. Why the element having high IE and high EG is more electronegative?
34. What is the Allred-Rochow electronegativity scale based on? Write the
equation.
35. When does a bond have more than 50% ionic character?
36. What is called :Bonds with more than 50% ionic character (ii) more than 50%
covalent character? 12. How is % ionic character calculated using Hanny and
Smith's equation?
37. Write the trend in the percentage of ionic character for HF, HBr, HCl, and HI?
Justify your answer.
38. How does the electronegativity of elements change across a period and down
the group?
39. How does the stability of a bond relate to the difference in electronegativity?
Provide an example of the stability order of hydrogen halides based on
electronegativity? Why are compounds with a very small electronegativity
difference value tend to be unstable? Why are compounds with a very large
electronegativity difference value generally stable?
40. How does the acidic character of oxides change across a period in the periodic
table? What causes the increase in acidic character of oxides across a period?
41. How does the metallic character change across a period and down the group in
the periodic table? Which elements are typically metallic on the periodic table?
Which elements are typically non-metals on the periodic table? In which groups is
the increase in metallic character most pronounced?
42. What determines the acidic or basic nature of XOH compounds? When does
XOH behave as an acid? When does XOH behave as a base? What suggestion did
Gallais make regarding the acidity of XOH compounds?
43. What happens to the bond length when the electronegativity difference
increases? Why does the electronegativity difference reduce the bond length? What
type of bonds tend to be stronger, those with a large or small electronegativity
difference?
44. Define polarization and polarizing power of ions.
45. What is the relationship between charge and polarisability of anions?
46. What is the relationship between polarization and covalent character in
chemical compounds?
47. State Fajan's rule. What are the limitations of Fajan's rules in predicting
covalent character?
48. How does the charge and size of cation affect polarization and covalent
character?
49. What determines the polarising power of cations? Why are small cations
effective in polarising anions?
50. How does the covalent character of compounds change in the halides of
calcium? 10. Which cation, Cu + or Na+, exhibits greater polarisation of Cl - ions?
Why?
51. What are the factors that favor covalent character in chemical compounds?
52. Account for the anomalies in melting points of sodium chloride (NaCl),
potassium chloride (KCl), and rubidium chloride (RbCl)?
53. What is the trend in polarising power for cations Be 2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+ , and
Ba2+?
54. Why does Cu+ exhibit greater polarisation of Cl- ions than Na+?
55. Why do some cations like Na+ have less polarizing power?
56. Which of RbCl and NaCl is having more covalent character/ ionic character?
Why?
57. If a compound has:A. 78% covalency. B. 19% covalency. What can you say of
its color?
58. Define oxidation state. What determines the oxidation state of an element?
59. What is the inert pair effect? Why does the inert pair effect occur?
60. Why do boron and thallium have different stable oxidation states than other
elements of the same group?
61. Which Group 15 element exhibits an oxidation state range from -3 to +5?
62. Why do boron and thallium have different stable oxidation states even when in
the same group?
63. What is the oxidation state of oxygen in OF2 and H2O2?
64. Write a brief note on the oxidation state of transitional element.