Arrange the following bonds in order of increasing ionic character:
C - F
O - F
H - F

Na - F
A) C - F

Question

Arrange the following bonds in order of increasing ionic character:
C - F
O - F
H - F

Na - F
A) C - F < O - F < H - F < Na - F
B) C - F < H - F < O - F < Na - F
C) O - F < C - F < H - F < Na - F
D) H - F < C - F < O - F < Na - F
E) Na - F < H - F < C - F < O - F

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The increasing order of ionic character is determined by the difference in electronegativity between the two bonding atoms. Fluorine is the most electronegative element and will attract electrons towards itself the most, making the bond more polar and ionic. Therefore, the bond with the highest ionic character will be Na-F. Among the remaining options, O is more electronegative than C and H, so O-F will be more ionic than the other options. Between C-F and H-F, H is more electronegative, so the H-F bond will be more polar and ionic than the C-F bond. Therefore, the correct order is O-F < C-F < H-F < Na-F. This matches option C.

Arrange the Following Bonds in Order of Increasing Ionic Character