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.
Analogy
Think of electronegativity like magnets. Some magnets (atoms) are stronger and can pull metallic objects (electrons) towards them more effectively than others.
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.
"Electronegativity" appears in:
Study guides (4)
Practice Questions (7)
- What is electronegativity?
- Describe the periodic trend of electronegativity.
- Electronegativity is greatest at the ______ ______ of the periodic table.
- How does the trend of atomic radius compare with the trend of electronegativity?
- The electronegativity value ______ when moving from boron to fluorine.
- Which of the following elements has the highest electronegativity?
- Atom A has an electronegativity of 1 and Atom B has an electronegativity of 2. Which atom will have a partial positive charge?
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