Electronegativity

[VGonzalez]

Since F is the most electronegative element, what is more electronegative: Oxygen or Chlorine?

[105114680]

Chlorine is more electronegative because it has more protons and thus exerts a stronger pull for electrons (the effective nuclear charge is greater than that of Oxygen). Additionally, Chlorine is only one electron away from completing its octet while Oxygen needs two electron to complete its octet, and thus Chlorine will be more electronegative.

[Jamie Hsu]

I think oxygen is more electronegative than chlorine because it is on the same period as fluorine. Even though the electronegativity decreases going both down a group and to the left of a period, there is a greater change in electronegativity between periods than groups. (If two elements are placed below and next to an element we are comparing, the greater difference should be in the element in a different period below, not the element in the same period we are comparing)

[Matthew Tran 1H]

105114680, I am afraid that you are mistaken. Oxygen is more electronegative than chlorine (3.5 vs. 3.0). This is because oxygen is much smaller than chlorine; chlorine is in the third period while oxygen is in the second period, so the outer electrons of chlorine feel less of a pull toward the nucleus than those of oxygen. This is why compounds with fluorine and oxygen bonded to hydrogen exhibit hydrogen bonding (HF, H2O) while those with chlorine (HCl) do not.

[Ariel Cheng 2I]

I think that oxygen is more electronegative. Oxygen is smaller than chlorine, with chlorine having a whole other shell of electrons which means that valence electrons in oxygen feel a stronger force.

[Kristy 1F]

The oxygen is more electronegative.

[Sarah Fatkin 4I]

Oxygen is the most electronegative. O, N, and F are the most electronegative elements, which is why they tend to participate in London forces.