We’re being asked to identify the most stable compound.
The stability of each compound can be related to their bond strength and bond length:
▪ the stronger the bonds, the closer or the smaller the distance between the atoms
▪ higher bond strength → shorter bond length
To answer this, we're going to compare the atomic radius of the elements bonded to H:
Atomic radius represents the distance from the nucleus to the outer shell of an element.
Trend of atomic radius in the periodic table:
• decreases going from left to right of a period
• increases going down a group
Which of the following compounds is the most stable?
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What scientific concept do you need to know in order to solve this problem?
Our tutors have indicated that to solve this problem you will need to apply the Periodic Trend: Atomic Radius concept. You can view video lessons to learn Periodic Trend: Atomic Radius. Or if you need more Periodic Trend: Atomic Radius practice, you can also practice Periodic Trend: Atomic Radius practice problems.