The noble gases were,until relatively recently,thought to be entirely unreactive.Experiments in the early 1960s showed that Xe could,in fact,form compounds with fluorine.The formation of compounds consisting of Xe is made possible by ________.
A)the availability of xenon atoms
B)xenon's noble gas electron configuration
C)the stability of xenon atoms
D)xenon's relatively low ionization energy
E)xenon's relatively low electron affinity

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Xenon's ability to form compounds with fluorine is possible due to its relatively low ionization energy, which allows it to lose an electron and form a cation, making it more reactive towards fluorine.

The Noble Gases Were,until Relatively Recently,thought to Be Entirely Unreactive