Which of the following best explains why fluorine is more chemically reactive than nitrogen?

• A. Fluorine has a larger atomic radius than nitrogen, allowing it to react more easily.
• B. Fluorine has a lower atomic number than nitrogen, resulting in greater reactivity.
• C. Fluorine has fewer valence electrons than nitrogen, making it more reactive.
• D. Fluorine has a higher electronegativity, making it more likely to attract electrons and form bonds.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of chemical reactivity, which often depends on how easily an element can gain, lose, or share electrons to form chemical bonds.
2. Step 2: Recall that fluorine and nitrogen are both nonmetals, but fluorine is in Group 17 (halogens) with 7 valence electrons, while nitrogen is in Group 15 with 5 valence electrons.
3. Step 3: Recognize that fluorine has a higher electronegativity than nitrogen, meaning fluorine has a stronger tendency to attract electrons toward itself in a chemical bond.
4. Step 4: Note that atomic radius and atomic number alone do not directly determine reactivity; for example, fluorine has a smaller atomic radius than nitrogen, which actually increases its ability to attract electrons.
5. Step 5: Conclude that fluorine's high electronegativity makes it more chemically reactive because it more readily attracts electrons to complete its valence shell, leading to stronger and more frequent bond formation.