Question

Rank the following compounds in order of decreasing acid strength using periodic trends. Rank the acids from strongest to weakest.

a. HCl
b. H2S
c. HBr
d. BH3

Answer 1

HBr > HCl > H2S > BH3

Step-by-step explanation:

In many acids, the magnitude of electronegativity of the nonmetal determines the strength of the acid. The less electronegative the non-metal is, the stronger the acidity of the acid.

This is because the less electronegative the nonmetal is, the more easily the H-X bond is broken since it is longer and weaker.

This explains the order of acid strength shown in the answer above.