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In which of the following compounds does the bond between the central atom and bromine have the greatest ionic character?

a. LiBr
b. KBr
c. SeBr₂
d. AsBr₃
e. CaBr₂

1 Answer

7 votes

Final answer:

The compound with the greatest ionic character between the central atom and bromine is SeBr₂. Therefore, the correct option is C.

Step-by-step explanation:

The ionic character of a bond is determined by the difference in electronegativity between the two atoms involved. The greater the difference, the more ionic character the bond has. In this case, the central atom is bonded with bromine in each compound. To determine the compound with the greatest ionic character, we need to find the compound with the greatest difference in electronegativity between the central atom and bromine.

The electronegativity of lithium (Li) is 0.98, the electronegativity of potassium (K) is 0.82, the electronegativity of selenium (Se) is 2.55, the electronegativity of arsenic (As) is 2.18, and the electronegativity of calcium (Ca) is 1.00.

Comparing the electronegativity values, we can see that the greatest difference is between selenium (Se) and bromine (Br). Therefore, the compound with the greatest ionic character is SeBr₂.

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