Fluorine has the highest electronegativity among the `ns^(2) np^(5)` group on the Pauling scale, but the electron affinity opf fluorine is less than that of chlorine because:

Options

A. the atomic number of fluorine is less than that of chlorine
B. fluorine being the first member of the family behaves in an unusual manner.
C. chlorine can accommodate an electron better than fluorine by utillising its vacant `3d-`orbital.
D. small size, high electron density and an increased electron repulsion makes addition of an electron to fluorine less favourable than that in the case of chlorine in isolated stage.

Answer

D

Explanation

There is more interelectronic repulsion in `2p`-subshell of fluorine than chlorine `(3p)`. So extra electron will be added easily in `3p`-subshell fo chlorine as compared to `2p`-subshell of fluorine.