Question

The bond length in the fluorine molecule F2 is 1.28 A, what is the atomic radius of chlorine?

a. 0.77 A

b. 0.64 A

c. 0.22 A

d. 1.21 A

Answer 1

0.64A

Step-by-step explanation:

There is a well-known relationship between the bond length of a diatomic molecule and the atomic radius of its constituent atoms, known as the covalent radius. Specifically, the covalent radius of an atom is half the bond length between two identical atoms in a diatomic molecule.

Therefore, to determine the atomic radius of chlorine (Cl), we can use the bond length of fluorine (F2) and the fact that the two atoms in F2 are identical.

Since the bond length of F2 is given as 1.28 A, the covalent radius of fluorine is 1.28/2 = 0.64 A.

Since both fluorine and chlorine are halogens, they have similar electronic configurations and form similar covalent bonds. Therefore, we can use the covalent radius of fluorine as an estimate for the covalent radius of chlorine.

Thus, the atomic radius of chlorine is approximately 0.64 A