Oxyacids have the acidic proton attached to an oxygen atom. Draw Lewis structures for perchloric, chloric, chlorous and hypochlorous acids. The Lewis structures should obey the octet rule. Write formal charges, if they are present. Using the Lewis structures you have drawn, explain why perchloric and chloric acids are strong acids while chlorous and hypochlorous acids are weak.
Chlorine ranks third in electronegativity.
Having high positive formal charges for Chlorine is therefore not desirable. As the formal charge on chlorine decreases the tendency to lose a proton should decrease, thus, chlorous and hypochlorous acids are both weak. Platinum, gold and mercury are considered as the noble metals in the activity series. Using the modern atomic theory, explain this observation. Between La and Hf is a series of elements.