Question

"Which of the following best helps to explain why the electron affinity for Be is less favorable than the electron affinity for Li? (options: O) The electron added to Be experiences a greater effective nuclear charge than the electron added to Li experiences. O) The electron added to Be is shielded by more core electrons than the electron added to Li is. O) The electron added to Be goes into a higher energy orbital than the electron added to Li goes into. O) The electron added to Be goes into a higher electron shell than the electron added to Li goes into."

Answer 1

The electron affinity for Be is less favorable than the electron affinity for Li because the electron added to Be experiences a greater effective nuclear charge. In beryllium, the 2s electrons do not shield each other well, while in lithium, the electrons in the filled 1s² shell effectively neutralize some of the positive charge in the nucleus.

Step-by-step explanation:

The electron affinity for Be is less favorable than the electron affinity for Li because the electron added to Be experiences a greater effective nuclear charge than the electron added to Li. This is due to the fact that the 2s electrons in beryllium do not shield each other very well, while the electrons in the filled 1s² shell effectively neutralize two of the three positive charges in the nucleus in lithium. Consequently, beryllium is smaller than lithium.

electron affinity for Be is less favorable than the electron affinity for Li because the electron added to Be experiences a greater effective nuclear charge. In beryllium, the 2s electrons do not shield each other well, while in lithium, the electrons in the filled 1s² shell effectively neutralize some of the positive charge in the nucleus.