Electron Affinity and Electronegativity

The page delves into two crucial atomic properties: electron affinity and electronegativity, explaining their definitions, trends, and relationships within the periodic table. The content explores how these properties vary across periods and down groups, providing essential insights into atomic behavior and bonding tendencies.

Definition: Electron affinity is the energy change associated with the addition of an electron to a gaseous atom, represented as X(g) + e⁻ → X⁻(g).

Highlight: Electron affinity becomes more negative when moving across a period from left to right, indicating a greater release of energy during electron acceptance.

Example: Noble gases are an exception to typical electron affinity trends due to their complete outer electron shells.

Vocabulary: Electronegativity refers to an atom's tendency to attract electrons while forming chemical bonds.

Highlight: Electronegativity increases from left to right across a period and decreases from top to bottom within a group.

The page concludes by listing related atomic properties including ionization energy, atomic radius, electron affinity, and electronegativity, suggesting their interconnected nature in understanding atomic behavior and chemical bonding.