Which are closer together: the two nuclei within potassium fluoride,KF,or the two nuclei within molecular fluorine, F₂ ? A)KF B) F₂ C)Both are the same.Any atom bonded to F will have the same inter-nuclear separation. D)It makes little sense to compare two molecules which exist in different physical states.KF is a solid while F₂

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The two nuclei within F₂ are closer together because it is a molecule that has a covalent bond between the two atoms. In contrast, KF is an ionic solid with a crystal lattice structure, and the potassium and fluoride ions are held together by ionic bonds, which are much weaker than covalent bonds. Therefore, the inter-nuclear separation between the two nuclei in KF is much larger compared to the inter-nuclear separation in F₂.

Which Are Closer Together: the Two Nuclei Within Potassium Fluoride,KF,or