Final answer:
In decreasing order of electronegativity, the correct arrangement of the elements is fluorine, sulfur, bromine, calcium, and barium. Fluorine has the highest electronegativity, whereas barium has the lowest among the elements given.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer the question of arranging the elements bromine, sulfur, calcium, barium, and fluorine in decreasing electronegativity, we must first understand that electronegativity is a measure of the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair of electrons. Fluorine has the highest electronegativity among the elements given, followed by sulfur, bromine, calcium, and barium. Since electronegativity generally increases from bottom to top and from left to right in the periodic table, we can arrange these elements accordingly.
In decreasing order of electronegativity, the elements are arranged as follows:
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- Fluorine
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- Sulfur
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- Bromine
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- Calcium
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- Barium
Fluorine, being at the top right corner of the periodic table, is the most electronegative element. Sulfur and bromine follow, as they are located above calcium and barium, which are alkaline earth metals with lower electronegativities. Hence, the correct arrangement in decreasing electronegativity is fluorine, sulfur, bromine, calcium, barium, which corresponds to option (b) Fluorine, sulfur, bromine, calcium, barium.