Bond Strength and Electronegativity

[Sophia Dinh 1D]

How are bond strength and electronegativity related?

[Naji Sarsam 1F]

The relationship between bond strength and electronegativity is an indirect one to understand:

1.) Electronegativity refers to the tendency of an atom to attract and accept an electron.

2.) A bond is when two atoms share at least a pair of electrons. Bond strength is affected by two principles: the more skewed the electron distribution is to one atom (meaning more ionic character), the stronger it is; and the more electrons shared, the stronger it is.

One aspect then about bond strength which electronegativity relates to is the ionic character. The greater the electronegativity difference is between two atoms, the more the electron pairs will be skewed to the atom with the higher electronegativity. Thus, a greater electronegativity difference between the atoms means the bond has a greater ionic character, meaning it is stronger. The opposite then--where there is a lower electronegativity difference--entails a weaker bond.

[PranaviKolla2B]

What is the trend of electronegativity in terms of the periodic table? Does electronegativity increase as you go towards the right of the periodic table?

[505306205]

What is the trend of electronegativity in terms of the periodic table? Does electronegativity increase as you go towards the right of the periodic table?

The trend for electronegativity is that it increases diagonally from bottom left to the top right. Flourine, therefore, is the most electronegative atom.