Which of the following substances has the least ionic character ?

Options

A. `FeCl_(2)`
B. `ZnCl_(2)`
C. `MgCl_(2)`
D. NaCl

Answer

To determine which substance has the least ionic character, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand Ionic Character
Ionic character refers to the extent to which a bond between two atoms has ionic characteristics, which is influenced by the difference in electronegativity between the two atoms involved in the bond. The greater the difference in electronegativity, the more ionic the bond.

**Hint:** Remember that ionic character is influenced by the electronegativity difference between the bonded atoms.

### Step 2: Identify the Substances
List the substances given in the question. For this example, let's assume the substances are:
- ZnCl2
- NaCl
- KCl
- MgO

**Hint:** Write down the substances clearly to analyze them one by one.

### Step 3: Analyze Electropositivity
Electropositivity decreases as you move from left to right across a period in the periodic table. Elements on the left (like alkali metals) are more electropositive compared to those on the right (like transition metals or nonmetals).

**Hint:** Recall the periodic trends in electropositivity and electronegativity.

### Step 4: Compare the Electropositive Nature
- **Zn** (Zinc) is a transition metal and has a lower electropositive character compared to alkali metals like Na and K.
- **Na** (Sodium) and **K** (Potassium) are both alkali metals and are highly electropositive.
- **Mg** (Magnesium) is also more electropositive than Zn.

**Hint:** Think about where each element is located in the periodic table to assess their electropositive character.

### Step 5: Determine Ionic Character
Since Zn is less electropositive than Na, K, and Mg, the compound ZnCl2 will have the least ionic character among the given substances. This is because Zn does not form ions as easily as the alkali metals.

**Hint:** Consider how easily each element can lose electrons to form cations.

### Step 6: Conclusion
Based on the analysis, we conclude that ZnCl2 has the least ionic character due to the low electropositive nature of Zn compared to the other elements.

**Final Answer:** ZnCl2 has the least ionic character.