Question

Define electropositivity in ur own words...​

Answer 1

having a positive electric charge. (of an atom, group, molecule, etc) tending to release electrons and form positive ions or polarized bondsCompare electronegative.

Answer 2

Answer:

$\bold\pink {\underline {\underline{{What \: is \: Electropositivity?}}}}$

Electropositivity can be defined as the tendency of an atom to donate electrons and form positively charged cations. This property is primarily exhibited by metallic elements, especially the alkali metals and the alkaline earth metals. It is important to note that electropositivity is the opposite of electronegativity, which is a measure of the tendency of an atom to gain electrons and form negatively charged anions. Therefore, highly electropositive elements have very low electronegativities and highly electronegative elements have very low electropositivity (electronegative elements typically do not have the tendency to lose electrons to form cations and electropositive elements generally do not to gain electrons to form anions).

Electropositive elements often form ionic salts with electronegative elements. For example, sodium is a highly electropositive element which readily gives up an electron in order to obtain a stable electronic configuration. Chlorine, on the other hand, is a highly electronegative element which readily accepts an electron to achieve a stable octet. Thus, sodium and chlorine can form an ionic bond with each other to yield sodium chloride (an ionic salt with the chemical formula NaCl).

Explanation:

$\bold\red{\underline {\underline{{LET'S \: EXPLORE \: MORE}}}}$

The electropositivity of an element is dependent on several factors such as the metallic character of the element, the distance between the nucleus and the valence shell, the effective nuclear charge acting on the valence electrons, and the ionization energy of the eleent.

The periodic trends in the electropositivity exhibited by elements are always opposite to the periodic trends in the electronegativities of elements. Since electronegativity increases across a period, electropositivity decreases across periods. Similarly, since electronegativity decreases down a group, electropositivity increases while traversing down a group. Therefore, the elements at the top-right of the periodic table are the least electropositive and the elements at the bottom-left of the periodic table are the most electropoitive.

Since electropositivity is primary a metallic attribute, it is dependent on the metallic character of the element. This is the reason why the alkali metals are regarded as the most electropositive elements (with caesium and francium being the most electropositive elements in the entire periodic table). Since fluorine, oxygen, and chlorine are the most electronegative elements in the periodic table, they are also the least electropositive elements

$\bold\red{\underline {\underline{{FURTHER \: LEARNING}}}}$

$\bold \pink{ \underline {\underline{{{What \: is \: Electronegativity?}}}}}$

The tendency of an atom in a molecule to attract the shared pair of electrons towards itself is known as electronegativity.

$\bold \pink{ \underline {\underline{{{Periodic \: Trends \: in \: the \: Electronegativities \: of \: Elements}}}}}$

As we move across a period from left to right the nuclear charge increases and the atomic size decreases, therefore the value of electronegativity increases across a period in the modern periodic table. For example, the electronegativity trend across period 3

There is an increase in the atomic number as we move down the group in the modern periodic table. The nuclear charge also increases but the effect of the increase in nuclear charge is overcome by the addition of one shell. Hence, the value of electronegativity decreases as we move down the group. For example, in the halogen group as we move down the group from fluorine to astatine the electronegativity value decreases

It is a general observation that metals show a lower value of electronegativity as compared to the non-metals. Therefore, metals are electropositive and non-metals are electronegative in nature. The elements in period two differ in properties from their respective group elements due to the small size and higher value of electronegativity.

The elements in the second period show resemblance to the elements of the next group in period three. This happens due to a small difference in their electronegativities. This leads to the formation of a diagonal relationship

$\bold \pink{ \underline {\underline{{{Factors \: Affecting \: Electronegativity}}}}}$

$\bold\blue{1. Size \: of \: an \: Atom:}$

A greater atomic size will result in less value of electronegativity, this happens because electrons being far away from the nucleus will experience a lesser force of attraction.

$\bold \blue{2. Nuclear \: Charge:}$

• A greater value of nuclear charge will result in a greater value of electronegativity. This happens because an increase in nuclear charge causes electron attraction with greater force.