electronegativity

Question 1

what is meant by electronegativity ?

Answer 1

the power of an atom to attract the pair of electrons in a covalent bond

Question 2

what are the factors that affect electronegativity ?

Answer 2

• nuclear charge
  – atomic radius
• shielding

Question 3

nuclear charge

Answer 3

the more protons, the stronger the attraction from the nucleus to the bonding pairs of electrons

Question 4

atomic radius

Answer 4

the closer the bonding electrons are to the nucleus, the stronger the attraction from the nucleus to the bonding pairs

Question 5

shielding

Answer 5

the less shells of electron shielding of the bonding pair, then the stronger attraction from the nucleus to the bonding pair

Question 6

what is the trend in electronegativity down the group ?

Answer 6

-decreases
down the group the atomic radius increases therefore there is more shielding between the nucleus and the bonding pairs so there is less attraction between the bonding pairs and the nucleus

Question 7

what is the trend in electronegativity across a period ?

Answer 7

increases
- because the nuclear charge increases across the period which decreases the atomic radius providing a stronger attraction between the bonding pair and the nucleus