Questions 1-3 refer to the following types of elements in the Periodic Table:
A) Noble gases B) Alkali metals
C) Halogens D) Transition elements
E) Actinides
Question 1 - which of the following types of elements are the most difficult to oxidize?
The answer is A, the Noble Gases. To answer this question, you need to know what the word
“oxidize” means. It can mean to combine with oxygen, but more generally it means
an atom or molecule loses electrons so it becomes positively charged. The elements
that are the most difficult to oxidize (or reduce, for that matter) are the Noble gases.
They are considered inert. Remember the noble gases are found in column 18 (group 18),
on the far right of the periodic table.
Question 2: Which elements are always radioactive?
These are the Actinides, which are found in that strip on the bottom of the periodic table.
You may not have realized that all the actinides were radioactive, but you’ve probably heard
of Plutonium and Uranium which are used in bombs. There are lots of other applications
using radioactive elements - for instance, Americium is used in metal detectors.
So, yeah, the answer is E.
Question 3: Which elements are most likely to form anions?
So you need to know an anion is a negatively charged ion. So the question is asking
which elements are most likely to accept an electron - one or more electrons -
and become negatively charged?
The group next to the noble gases,the Halogens, group 17, can accept one electron and become anions.
These are the elements like Fluorine, Chlorine, Bromine...
You know they accept electrons and become F-, Cl-, Br-, and so on.
When they do, they achieve a noble gas electron configuration and so then they are
very stable. The answer is C. You might be tempted by B, the Alkali metals, which are
in group 1, but those are most likely to form cations, positively charged ions. If they
donate an electron, and become cations, they also achieve noble gas electron configuration.
But again, that's cations, not anions...so don’t be fooled.
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