Electronegativity

Electronegativity

Definition:

• Electronegativity is a measure that quantifies how strongly an atom attracts the electrons in a chemical bond when it forms a compound.

Importance:

• Electronegativity helps us understand how electrons are shared or distributed between atoms in a molecule or compound.
• It plays a crucial role in determining the type of chemical bond that forms between atoms, whether it's covalent (sharing of electrons) or ionic (transfer of electrons).

Scale:

• Electronegativity is typically expressed on a scale known as the Pauling scale, named after Linus Pauling, who developed it.

Examples:

Trends:

• Electronegativity generally increases from left to right across a period in the periodic table.
• It decreases as you move down a group in the periodic table.

Summary:

• Electronegativity measures an atom's ability to attract electrons in a chemical bond. It is a fundamental concept in understanding chemical bonding and the nature of compounds.