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Chapter 9: Problem 31

Define electronegativity, and explain the difference between electronegativity and electron affinity. Describe in general how the electronegativities of the elements change according to position in the periodic table.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract electrons in a bond, and electron affinity is the energy change when an electron is added to a neutral atom. The main difference is that electronegativity pertains to the attraction of electrons in a bond, whereas electron affinity pertains to the addition of an electron. Electronegativity increases from left to right across a period and decreases down a group due to increasing number of protons and added energy levels respectively.

Step by step solution

01

Define Electronegativity

Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract electrons in a chemical bond. It is a numerical value that is calculated using various methods, but the most commonly used one is the Pauling scale.
02

Define Electron Affinity

Electron affinity is the energy change that occurs when an electron is added to a neutral atom, thus transforming it into a negative ion. It is usually measured in kJ/mol.
03

Explain the differentiation between Electronegativity and Electron Affinity

The difference between electronegativity and electron affinity is that electronegativity measures the attraction an atom has for the electrons in a chemical bond, whereas electron affinity measures the change in energy when an electron is added to a neutral atom.
04

Describe the Electronegativities Change According to Position in the Periodic Table

In general, electronegativity increases as you move from left to right across a period in the periodic table. This occurs because the number of protons in the nucleus increases, making them more attractive to electrons. On the other hand, electronegativity tends to decrease as you move down a group on the periodic table because the added energy levels shield the valence electrons from the nucleus' pull, making atoms less capable of attracting electrons.

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