Question

Which of the following statements best explains why lithium (Li) reacts easily with fluorine (F)?

A. Lithium and fluorine both have valence electrons in the second energy level.
B. Lithium needs seven electrons to complete its highest energy level, and fluorine has seven electrons in its highest energy level.
C. Lithium and fluorine have the same number of electrons in their highest energy levels.
D. Lithium cand fluorine can share valence electrons to achieve an octet.
E. Lithium has one electron in its highest energy level, and fluorine needs one electron to complete its highest energy level.

Answer 1

Lithium (Li) reacts easily with fluorine (F) because lithium has one valence electron it wants to lose, while fluorine needs one electron to complete its valence shell to achieve a stable octet, facilitating the transfer of an electron and the formation of an ionic bond.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best explanation for why lithium (Li) reacts easily with fluorine (F) is statement E: Lithium has one electron in its highest energy level, and fluorine needs one electron to complete its highest energy level. This is because lithium and fluorine both aim to achieve a stable electron configuration by reaching an octet in their outermost energy level. Lithium, with one valence electron, tends to lose this electron to achieve the full shell configuration of its nearest noble gas, helium. Fluorine, on the other hand, has seven valence electrons and needs only one additional electron to achieve the full shell configuration of neon. Therefore, when lithium and fluorine come into contact, lithium will easily transfer its one valence electron to fluorine, resulting in the creation of an ionic bond between the positively charged lithium ion (Li+) and the negatively charged fluoride ion (F-).