Electronegativity

[Manav Patel 3L]

What does the term "electronegativity" indicate in relation to atoms within a molecule, and how does it influence the sharing of electrons between atoms in a covalent bond?

[Valeria Perez 3J]

Electronegativity is an atom's tendency to attract electrons in a molecule. When talking about bonds, electronegativity can help identify the ionic or covalent character of the bonds based on the difference between the electronegativity of the atoms in the molecule. The higher the difference between the atoms, the more ionic the bond. Inversely, the closer in electronegativity they are, the more covalent the bond.