Electron Affinity [ENDORSED]

[Samantha Chung 4I]

I think during lecture on Wednesday Professor Lavelle mentioned about the electron affinity, what is the trend of the electron affinity down the group and across the period in the Periodic Table?

[Aaron Ang 4H]

Electron affinity decreases down a group and increases across a period

[Raymond Ko 1H]

To summarize, electron affinity is the energy released when electrons are added to an atom in the gas phase. Elements in the top right of the period table, up till group 17, generally have high electron affinities. Adding electrons to filled valence shells is unfavorable because further energy is required.

[Yukta Italia 3I]

So are elements with high electron affinity most likely to form anions?

[Alexandra Albers 1D]

I believe that elements with higher electron affinities like to gain electrons to have a stable octet similar to a noble gas.

[Michael Torres 4I]

So are elements with high electron affinity most likely to form anions?

Elements with a high electron affinity are more likely to form anions than elements with a lower electron affinity.

[Quinn_Simpson_3D]

Electron affinity does not have as much as a defined trend as ionization energy and atomic radius. However, the gases in the top right corner of the periodic table have a high electron affinity because they want to gain electrons to create a stable, filled shell, like a noble gas configuration. Metals and other elements have low electron affinity because they tend to lose electrons.

[Estelle Jung]

What exactly is electron affinity? Is it the tendency for an atom to gain an electron, thus forming an negative ion (anion)? So the trend on the periodic table is essentially saying that electron affinity, or the tendency to form an anion, increases when you go from left to right and from bottom to top?