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Electronegativity
ELECTRONEGATIVITY: An atom’s ability to attract electrons
( Reffy, pp. 10-11)
• The higher the electronegativity, the more the element wants to
attract (take in) other electrons.
• As you move across the period, the electronegativity increases.
This happens because there are more valence electrons, so the atom wants to just finish filling up the valence shell. Therefore, the atom attracts atoms of other elements.
Exception: Group 18 has almost no electronegativity because the valence shell is already full.
• As you move down the group, the electronegativity decreases. This happens because there are more shells, so the valence
electrons are farther away from the nucleus, where the force of attraction is the strongest.
Electronegativity means the “electric” (attraction) to other atoms.
Electronegativity means the atom’s attraction for electrons.
UNIT 3: PERIODIC TABLE OF ELEMENTS © 75
