Electronegativity

Definition

Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract shared electrons in a chemical bond. Elements with high electronegativity tend to pull electrons towards themselves more strongly.

Related terms

Polarity:

A property of molecules resulting from the uneven distribution of charges due to differences in electronegativity; leads to regions of partial positive and negative charge within the molecule.

Ionization Energy:

The energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion; generally increases with increasing electronegativity because these atoms hold their electrons more tightly.

Electron Affinity:

The amount of energy released when an electron is added to a neutral atom; elements with high electronegativity typically have high electron affinity as they readily accept additional electrons.