Electronegativity

Name:
Electronegativity
Detailed information:
All atoms (except those of helium) that have fewer than eight electrons in their highest principal quantum level have low-energy orbital vacancies capable of accommodating electrons from outside the atom. The existence of these vacancies is evidence that within these regions the nuclear charge can exert a significant attraction for such electrons, even though as a whole the atom is electrically neutral. This attraction is called “electronegativity.” To the extent that the initially neutral atom may be able to acquire electrons from outside, it will acquire also their negative charge. The word “electronegativity” means “tendency to become negatively charged.” The concept of electronegativity is an extremely useful one in chemistry, since the attractive force exerted by the nuclei of atoms that have vacancies in their outer shells makes possible the formation of both covalent and ionic bonds and is thus a fundamental factor in the formation of chemical compounds. The most highly electronegative elements are the halogens, sulfur, and oxygen.See Bond, Chemical.