109k views
0 votes
Which of the following best describes the relationship between the strength of the H-X bond and the strength of a binary acid?

A) Weaker
B) Stronger
C) No correlation
D) Unpredictable

User Rocky Hu
by
8.5k points

1 Answer

2 votes

Final answer:

The strength of a binary acid is inversely related to the strength of the H-X bond; weaker H-X bonds result in stronger binary acids, as seen with hydrogen halides and hydrides in the periodic table.

Step-by-step explanation:

The relationship between the strength of the H-X bond and the strength of a binary acid can be understood as follows: Generally, the weaker the bond between the hydrogen atom (H) and another atom (X) in a binary acid, the stronger the acid is. This is because such a weak H-X bond is more likely to break and form H+ ions in solution.

For instance, as we move down a group in the periodic table, the size of atoms typically increases, leading to a decrease in the overlap between the hydrogen’s 1s orbital and the halogen's valence orbital, hence weaker H-X bonds and stronger acids. So among the hydrogen halides in group 17, the order of increasing acid strength is HF < HCl < HBr < HI, reflecting successively weaker H-X bonds. In group 16, acid strength increases as H2O < H2S < H2Se < H2Te, corresponding with the weakening of the H-X bond.