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Which of the following compounds is expected to have bonds with the lowest ionic character?

a) Sodium chloride (NaCl)
b) Magnesium oxide (MgO)
c) Aluminum chloride (AlCl₃)
d) Calcium fluoride (CaF₂)

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Aluminum chloride (AlCl₃) is expected to have bonds with the lowest ionic character due to its relatively lower electronegativity difference compared to the other compounds listed.

Step-by-step explanation:

The compound expected to have bonds with the lowest ionic character is Aluminum chloride (AlCl₃). Ionic character in bonds is related to the difference in electronegativity between the atoms. Sodium chloride (NaCl) would have a highly ionic bond due to the significant difference in electronegativity between sodium and chlorine. Magnesium oxide (MgO) also has a high ionic character due to the large difference between magnesium and oxygen's electronegativities. Calcium fluoride (CaF₂) will also exhibit high ionic character.

Aluminum chloride (AlCl₃), while it is an ionic compound, has a lower ionic character in comparison to the others listed because aluminum has more covalent character due to its smaller size and ability to share electrons more easily with chlorine, which has a relatively lower electronegativity compared to oxygen or fluorine.

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