OSAT Physical Science Test 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Very electronegative nonmetals are characterized by their ability to attract electrons strongly during chemical reactions. High electronegativity, typically above 2.8 on the Pauling scale, suggests that these elements can effectively gain electrons from other atoms, making them powerful oxidizing agents.

When a nonmetal is very electronegative, it tends to seize electrons to complete its valence shell, which can lead to the oxidation of other substances. As a result, in many chemical reactions, electronegative nonmetals play a crucial role in driving reactions forward by accepting electrons from less electronegative elements. This behavior defines them as good oxidizing agents, as they facilitate the loss of electrons from other species.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately describe very electronegative nonmetals. For instance, an electronegativity of less than 1.9 does not fit the criteria for high electronegativity, and being considered a good reducing agent generally corresponds to elements that easily lose electrons rather than gain them. Additionally, while some nonmetals exist as gases at room temperature, this is not a defining feature of very electronegative nonmetals, as they can also exist in other states, such as solid