Question

which of the following will have a higher electronegativity than arsenic (as)? germanium (ge) carbon (c) antimony (sb) neon (ne)

Explanation:

To determine which element has higher electronegativity than arsenic (As), we use the periodic trend of electronegativity: it generally increases across a period (left to right) and decreases down a group (top to bottom).

• Germanium (Ge): As and Ge are in the same period (period 4), but Ge is to the left of As. Electronegativity increases left - to - right, so Ge has lower electronegativity than As.
• Carbon (C): C is in group 14, period 2; As is in group 15, period 4. Moving up a group (decreasing period number) and moving left a group (from 15 to 14) – the increase in electronegativity due to being in a much higher period (closer to the top of the periodic table) and the general trend of higher electronegativity for non - metals in upper periods makes C more electronegative than As.
• Antimony (Sb): Sb is in the same group (group 15) as As but is below As. Electronegativity decreases down a group, so Sb has lower electronegativity than As.
• Neon (Ne): Neon is a noble gas. Noble gases have a full valence shell and do not attract electrons in the same way as other elements; their electronegativity is not typically compared in the same context as non - noble gas elements, and in terms of the Pauling scale (common electronegativity scale), noble gases have very low or no defined electronegativity values for bonding, so it is not considered to have a higher electronegativity than As in a bonding context.

Answer:

B. Carbon (C)