Given below are two statements :
Statement I : SbCl₅ is more covalent than SbCl₃
Statement II: The higher oxides of halogens also tend to be more stable than the lower ones.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below :

Solution

Chemistry ma’am · 3 steps

Check each statement against a known trend: Fajans' rules for Sb, then the NCERT line on halogen oxides.

1. Statement I. In SbCl₅ antimony is in the +5 state, and in SbCl₃ it is +3. A higher charge on a smaller cation means more polarising power. By Fajans' rules, more polarisation of the chloride ion gives more covalent character, so SbCl₅ is more covalent. Statement I is correct.
2. Statement II. For halogens, the oxides with the halogen in a higher oxidation state are generally more stable. For example, Cl₂O₇ is the most stable oxide of chlorine, while Cl₂O and ClO₂ are explosive. I₂O₅ is a stable solid. This is exactly the NCERT statement, so Statement II is correct.
3. So. Both statements are correct, which is option (a).

The idea to keep. For the same element, a higher oxidation state means more polarising power and more covalent halides: SbCl₅ > SbCl₃, PbCl₄ > PbCl₂, SnCl₄ > SnCl₂.

Answer from the NTA final answer key. Solution by PrepWiser.