What is the trend in electronegativity with increasing atomic number?
1 Answer
For a given period, electronegativity should increase with atomic number.
Explanation:
Electronegativity is conceived to be the ability of an atom bound to another atom to polarize electron density towards itself. Two issues affect this ability: nuclear charge; and size of the nucleus.
Electrons in incomplete shells shield nuclear charge very ineffectively. Towards the RHS of the periodic table are the most electronegative elements, i.e.