Which of the following increases the strength of an oxo acid, HYO_n? A) increasing the electron affinity of Y and increasing the number of oxygen atoms, n B) decreasing the electron affinity of Y and increasing the number of oxygen atoms, n C) increasing the electron affinity of Y and decreasing the number of oxygen atoms, n D) decreasing the electron affinity of Y and decreasing the number of oxygen atoms, n E) none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An oxo acid HYO_n consists of a central atom (Y) bonded to a hydroxyl group (-OH) and n number of oxygen atoms. The strength of oxo acid depends on the electronegativity of the central atom and the number of oxygen atoms. Increasing the electron affinity of Y, i.e., increasing its tendency to attract electrons towards itself, will increase the acidity of the compound. Also, increasing the number of oxygen atoms will result in an increase in the number of electron-withdrawing groups, making the compound more acidic. Therefore, the option that increases the electron affinity of Y and the number of oxygen atoms, option A, is the correct answer.

Which of the Following Increases the Strength of an Oxo