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Oxygen is more electronegative than sulp...

Oxygen is more electronegative than sulphur, yet `H_(2)S` is acidic while `H_(2)O` is neutral. This is because

A

Water is a highly associated compound

B

`H-S` bond is weaker than `H-O` bond

C

`H_(2)S` is a gas while `H_(2)O` is a liquid

D

The molecular weight of `H_(2)S` is more

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The correct Answer is:
To understand why \( H_2S \) is acidic while \( H_2O \) is neutral, despite oxygen being more electronegative than sulfur, we can analyze the bond strength and the nature of the bonds involved in these compounds. ### Step-by-Step Solution: 1. **Identify the Compounds**: We are comparing two compounds: \( H_2O \) (water) and \( H_2S \) (hydrogen sulfide). 2. **Electronegativity Consideration**: Oxygen has a higher electronegativity (3.44) compared to sulfur (2.58). This means that oxygen attracts electrons more strongly than sulfur. 3. **Bond Formation**: In \( H_2O \), the bond formed between hydrogen and oxygen (O-H bond) is stronger than the bond formed between hydrogen and sulfur (H-S bond) in \( H_2S \). 4. **Bond Strength**: The bond strength of the O-H bond is greater than that of the H-S bond. This is due to the smaller size of oxygen compared to sulfur, allowing for better overlap of orbitals and thus stronger bonds. 5. **Acidity and Bond Weakness**: The weaker H-S bond in \( H_2S \) means that it is easier for \( H_2S \) to release a proton (\( H^+ \)), making it more acidic. In contrast, the stronger O-H bond in \( H_2O \) does not readily release a proton, resulting in a neutral compound. 6. **Conclusion**: Therefore, the acidity of \( H_2S \) compared to \( H_2O \) can be attributed to the weaker H-S bond, which allows for easier dissociation of protons, despite the higher electronegativity of oxygen. ### Final Answer: The reason \( H_2S \) is acidic while \( H_2O \) is neutral is that the H-S bond is weaker than the O-H bond, allowing \( H_2S \) to more readily release \( H^+ \).
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