Chemical Periodicity (REVISED)
Chemical Periodicity (REVISED)
Chemical Periodicity (REVISED)
Chemical Periodicity
4. P to Cl are molecular – the melting and boiling points depend on the Van
der Waals forces between the molecules. The melting and boiling points are
highest in sulphur (S8), followed by phosphorus (P4) followed by chlorine
(Cl2), as the bigger molecules are most polarisable and thus have stronger
intermolecular forces. All the melting and boiling points are very low
though, as Van der Waals forces are easily broken.
5. Ar is monatomic – it has very little Van der Waals forces between atoms,
and so its melting and boiling points are extremely low.
2. Magnesium reacts with steam, and very slowly with cold water:
Mg(s) + H2O (g) → MgO (s) + H2(g)
3. Calcium, strontium and barium all react with cold water, and the reactivity
increases going down the group, producing solutions of the metal hydroxide.
For calcium:
Ca(s) + 2H2O (l) → Ca(OH)2 (aq) + 2H2(g)
4. As the beryllium ion is so small, only four coordinate bonds can fit around
it. It therefore has a maximum coordination number of 4. Other elements in
group II have a maximum coordination number of 6.
5. Beryllium chloride molecules can bond together via coordinate bonds to
form dimers. In this case beryllium shows a coordination number of 3.