Chemistry · Chemical Bonding
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Electronegativity of elements increases as we go from:
- A
Top to bottom
- B
Left to right
- C
Right to left
- D
Bottom to top
- E
None of the above
Across the period, the effective nuclear charge increases and the atomic size decreases. Therefore, the tendency to attract shared pairs of electrons increases, thereby increasing electronegativity.
Down the group, atomic size increases and the effective nuclear charge decreases. Therefore, the tendency to attract shared pairs of electrons decreases, thereby decreasing electronegativity.
Across the period, the effective nuclear charge increases and the atomic size decreases. Therefore, the tendency to attract shared pairs of electrons increases, thereby increasing electronegativity.
Towards the left of the table, valence shells are less than half full, so these atoms (metals) tend to lose electrons and have low electronegativity
Although electronegativity also increases from bottom to top of a group, the increase across a period is comparatively more significant
Statement B is valid
Tagged under Chemistry · Chemical Bonding · 2010