Final answer:
To determine the stability of radicals, consider the number of alkyl groups attached to the radical center; tertiary radicals are the most stable, followed by secondary and then primary. Acidity is related to the stability of the conjugate base, and ligands in the spectrochemical series are ranked by the crystal field splitting they induce. Reactivity of elements and basicity of leaving groups are influenced by their position in the periodic table.
Step-by-step explanation:
To rank radicals in order of decreasing stability, we must consider factors such as the number of alkyl groups attached to the radical center. Stability of radicals increases in this order: primary (RCH₂) < secondary (R₂CH) < tertiary (R₃C). This ranking is due to the hyperconjugative and inductive effects provided by the alkyl groups. More alkyl groups share the radical's electron burden, making it more stable. Therefore, a tertiary radical is more stable than a secondary, which in turn is more stable than a primary.
When considering acidity or basicity, acidity is influenced by the stability of the conjugate base. A stable conjugate base will result in a strong acid. Factors like resonance, induction, and electronegativity affect conjugate base stability. In the spectrochemical series, ligands are ranked based on the crystal field splitting they induce. Strong field ligands induce greater splitting and are higher in the series than weak field ligands.
For ionization tendencies in aqueous solutions, we use bond strengths, conjugate base stability, and inductive effects to predict how readily a compound will ionize. In general, stronger acids have a greater tendency to ionize. Elements' reactivity can generally be gauged by their location on the periodic table, with reactivity increasing from right to left and from top to bottom within a group. The basicity of leaving groups decreases from top to bottom in the periodic table, affecting their propensity to leave.