Table of contents

1. Intro to General Chemistry3h 48m
2. Atoms & Elements4h 16m
3. Chemical Reactions4h 10m
4. BONUS: Lab Techniques and Procedures1h 38m
5. BONUS: Mathematical Operations and Functions48m
6. Chemical Quantities & Aqueous Reactions3h 51m
7. Gases3h 49m
8. Thermochemistry2h 35m
9. Quantum Mechanics2h 58m
10. Periodic Properties of the Elements3h 9m
11. Bonding & Molecular Structure3h 29m
12. Molecular Shapes & Valence Bond Theory1h 57m
13. Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces2h 23m
14. Solutions3h 1m
15. Chemical Kinetics2h 53m
16. Chemical Equilibrium2h 29m
17. Acid and Base Equilibrium5h 1m
18. Aqueous Equilibrium4h 47m
19. Chemical Thermodynamics1h 50m
20. Electrochemistry2h 42m
21. Nuclear Chemistry2h 34m
22. Organic Chemistry5h 7m
23. Chemistry of the Nonmetals2h 39m
24. Transition Metals and Coordination Compounds3h 16m

10. Periodic Properties of the Elements

Periodic Trend: Electron Affinity

General Chemistry

10. Periodic Properties of the Elements

Periodic Trend: Electron Affinity

Previous problemNext problem

Struggling with General Chemistry?

Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video

Multiple Choice

Rank the following elements in order of increasing electron affinity: Cs, Hg, F, S

Hg < S < F < Cs

Hg < F < S < Cs

Cs < S < F < Hg

Hg < Cs < S < F

Cs < Hg < S < F

Previous problemNext problem

Verified step by step guidance

Understand the concept of electron affinity: Electron affinity is the amount of energy released when an electron is added to a neutral atom in the gaseous state. Generally, elements with higher electron affinity are more likely to gain electrons.

Consider the periodic trends: Electron affinity generally increases across a period from left to right and decreases down a group in the periodic table. This is because atoms on the right side of the periodic table have more protons, attracting electrons more strongly.

Analyze the given elements: Cs (Cesium) is in Group 1, Hg (Mercury) is in Group 12, S (Sulfur) is in Group 16, and F (Fluorine) is in Group 17. Fluorine, being in Group 17, typically has the highest electron affinity due to its high electronegativity.

Compare the elements based on their positions: Cs is at the bottom of Group 1, so it has a low electron affinity. Hg is a transition metal and generally has lower electron affinity compared to nonmetals. S and F are nonmetals, with F having the highest electron affinity.

Rank the elements: Based on the periodic trends and positions, the order of increasing electron affinity is Hg < Cs < S < F. This means Mercury has the lowest electron affinity, followed by Cesium, then Sulfur, and Fluorine has the highest.