Question

Electronegetivity of Ge is higher than that of Si and Sn. Explain.

Answer 1

Answer on Question #53676 – Chemistry – Inorganic Chemistry

Question:

Electronegativity of Ge is higher than that of Si and Sn. Explain.

Answer:

It can be explained by the shielding effect of d-electrons. Shielding effect is conditioned by filled electronic shells and results in lower attraction to nuclei of electrons from outermost shell. For s- and p- orbitals this effect is stronger than for d and f - orbitals due to their shapes (electron density in space), since s and p - shells are more spherical. Considering their electronic configurations it is clear that the outermost electrons are more shielded for Si than for Ge and Sn:

Si $1s^{2} 2s^{2} 2p^{6} 3s^{2} 3p^{2}$

Ge $1s^{2} 2s^{2} 2p^{6} 3s^{2} 3p^{6} 4s^{2} 3d^{10} 4p^{2}$

Sn $1s^{2} 2s^{2} 2p^{6} 3s^{2} 3p^{6} 4s^{2} 3d^{10} 4p^{6} 5s^{2} 4d^{10} 5p^{2}$

At the same time an increase in atomic radius for Sn leads to the decrease in the ionization energy, therefore its electronegativity is lower than for Ge, which has smaller radius.

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