What is electronegativity?
Quick Answer
Electronegativity is an atom’s tendency to attract shared electrons in a chemical bond. Fluorine is the most electronegative element.
The Full Story
Electronegativity helps explain why atoms form polar bonds and why some molecules have uneven charge distribution. It is not a direct physical quantity like mass; it is a scale based on chemical behavior, commonly the Pauling scale introduced by Linus Pauling in the 1930s. Fluorine sits at the top of the scale because it attracts bonding electrons very strongly. Differences in electronegativity shape water’s polarity, salt formation, and many biological processes. The concept is central to predicting molecular structure and reactivity.
Key Facts
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Suggested video title for this topic:
"The tug-of-war for electrons that shapes all chemistry"