Electronegativity

[Matia Kim 1B]

What does it mean if an element is more electronegative than another?

[Lauren Ho 2E]

If an element is more electronegative than another atom, it will attract electrons more strongly.

[Swetha Ampabathina1I]

Electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to attract another atom's electrons (kind of like stealing another atom's electrons). The electronegativity trend increases from left to right on the periodic table as well as when you move up a group on the periodic table.

[LG2019]

How do you predict an atom's electronegativity? Is it a periodic trend?

[Michelle Wang 4I]

Yes, as Swetha said electronegativity is a periodic trend. Electronegativity is how much an atom wants to gain another electron to try to get a full shell. Therefore elements on the top right (fluorine) are the most electronegative since they want a full shell, while elements on the bottom left are the least electronegative since they want to remove electrons to have a full shell.

[sonalivij]

Electronegativity does follow a trend. Atoms tend to decrease in electronegativity as you move down a group because the shells get farther and farther from the nucleus. Atoms tend to increase in electronegativity when they move from left to right across a period because of an increased effective nuclear charge.

[taryn_baldus2E]

Electronegativity is the measure of the tendency of an element to attract or steal another element's electrons. The tendency increases as you go to the right of a periodic table because the nuclear charge of the element increasing, attracting more elements to its center. Similarly, the tendency increases going up the periodic table because there are fewer electrons around the atom to shield the pull of the atom's nucleus.

[Porus_Karwa_2E]

More electronegative means that the element more greatly wants another electron to fill its octet.

[Danny Zhang 4L]

Greater electronegativity is the same as saying greater attraction of other electrons.