Which of the following sets has the strongest tendency to form anions ?
V, Cr, Mn
Ga, In, Tl
Na, Mg, Al
N, O, F.

Options

A. V, Cr, Mn
B. Ga, In, Tl
C. Na, Mg, Al
D. N, O, F.

Answer

To determine which set of elements has the strongest tendency to form anions, we need to analyze the groups of elements provided in the options:

1. **Identify the nature of the elements in each set**:
- **Set 1**: V (Vanadium), Cr (Chromium), Mn (Manganese) - These are transition metals.
- **Set 2**: Ga (Gallium), In (Indium), Tl (Thallium) - These are post-transition metals.
- **Set 3**: Na (Sodium), Mg (Magnesium), Al (Aluminum) - These are metals.
- **Set 4**: N (Nitrogen), O (Oxygen), F (Fluorine) - These are non-metals.

2. **Understand the tendency to form anions**:
- Non-metals have a strong tendency to gain electrons and form anions.
- Metals typically lose electrons to form cations.

3. **Evaluate each set based on the nature of the elements**:
- **Set 1**: Contains only metals (transition metals), which do not tend to form anions.
- **Set 2**: Contains post-transition metals, which also do not have a strong tendency to form anions.
- **Set 3**: Contains metals (alkali and alkaline earth), which primarily form cations.
- **Set 4**: Contains non-metals (N, O, F), which have a strong tendency to gain electrons and form anions.

4. **Conclusion**:
- The set with the strongest tendency to form anions is **Set 4: N, O, F** because all these elements are non-metals and readily gain electrons to form anions.

Thus, the answer is **D: N, O, F**.