Question

Which of the following elements experiences the greatest london dispersion forces: fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine?

Answer 1

Iodine, as it possesses the most electrons, and has the biggest (the most polarizable) electron cloud.

Explanation:

At room temperature `F_2` and `Cl_2` are gases, `Br_2` is a liquid (and one of the few elemental liquids on the Periodic Table), and `I_2` is a solid. While the `I-I` bond, the intramolecular bond, is weakest, the intermolecular bonds are sufficiently strong to stabilize the solid.