What is the meaning of the term electronegativity?

Answer 1

Electronegativity is tendency of an atom to attract shared pair of electrons towards itself in a chemical bond. Since it is only relative electron tendency, it has no specific units.

Electronegativity is elated to:

(a) Size of an atom.

(b) Effective nuclear charge

Atom with small size and high nuclear charge has high electronegativity due to the strong pull exerted on shared electrons by the nucleus. For example, fluorine is highly electronegative element with electro negativity value 3.92 due to small size and high effective nuclear charge. Atom with greater size and less nuclear charge has low electronegativity as its nucleus does not exert a stong attractive force on shared electrons. For example, Caesium is least electronegative element with electronegativity value 0.7 due to its big sizes and less effetive nuclear charge.

Answer 2

The ability of an atom to attract electrons. The most electronegative elements are in the upper right hand corner of the Periodic Table, most notably fluorine.

Answer 3

Electronegativity is the potential for an atom to gain an electron.

Answer 4

Electronegativity is a property of an atom and it describes the ability of an atom to attract electrons. The higher the electronegativity the stronger the atom attracts electrons.

Answer 5

(chemistry) the tendency of an atom or radical to attract electrons in the formation of an ionic bond

Answer 6

the force of an atom to attract it's valance electrons.

Answer 7

The tendacy of an atom or radical to attract electrons in the formation of an ionic bond

Answer 8

The electronegativity is the relative force of attraction of an atom towards the shared pair of electrons. (with reference to F=4)