Answer the question on basis of passage given below:
The noble gases have closed shell electronic configuration and are monatomic gases under normal conditions. The low boiling points of lighter noble gases are due to the weak dispersion forces between the atoms and the absence of other inter atomic interaction. The direct reaction of xenon with fluorine leads to a series of compounds with oxidation numbers +2, +4 and +6.
\(XeF_4\) reacts violently with water to give \(XeO_3\). The geometries of the compounds of xenon can be deduced considering the total number of electrons in the valence shell.
\(XeF_4\) and \(XeF_6\) are expected to be :
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Oxidising agent
An oxidising agent takes electrons from another substance and is itself reduced. Xenon fluorides contain xenon in high positive oxidation states (+4 in \( \ce{XeF4} \), +6 in \( \ce{XeF6} \)) bonded to fluorine, the most electronegative element. They readily give up fluorine and are powerful fluorinating agents, that is, strong oxidising agents. For example, \( \ce{XeF4} \) oxidises hydrogen to HF while xenon is reduced from +4 to 0:
\( \ce{XeF4 + 2H2 -> Xe + 4HF} \)
Why the other options are incorrect
Option (2) Reducing agent — Incorrect. A reducing agent must be able to lose electrons. Xenon is already in a high positive oxidation state, so in these fluorides it can only gain electrons and be reduced.
Option (3) Unreactive in nature — Incorrect. They are hydrolysed even by traces of water (\( \ce{XeF4} \) gives \( \ce{XeO3} \), as the passage says) and they fluorinate many substances, so they are very reactive.
Option (4) Strongly basic in nature — Incorrect. They act as fluoride ion donors and acceptors (with \( \ce{PF5} \), \( \ce{SbF5} \) or NaF), but they are not bases in water; their hydrolysis gives the acid HF.
\( \ce{XeF2 + PF5 -> [XeF]^+[PF6]^-} \)
Note: This question is from the pre-rationalised NCERT book (2022-23). The topic is not there in the latest NCERT book (2026-27), and it is also out of the CUET 2026 syllabus.
NCERT (Pre-rationalised edition, 2022-23):
Xenon-fluorine Compounds – …
