Question

question 1. the figure below illustrates the electronegativity of different elements according to their positions in the periodic table.
figure of periodic table with electronegativity bar graph
part a. what is the definition of electronegativity?
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part b. what is the trend in electronegativity as you go across the periodic table from left to right?
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part c. what is the trend in electronegativity as you go down the periodic table from top to bottom?
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Explanation:

Part A

Electronegativity is the ability of an atom in a chemical bond to attract shared electrons towards itself. This concept helps in understanding bond polarity and chemical reactivity trends among elements.

When moving from left to right across a period in the periodic table, electronegativity generally increases. This is because as the atomic number increases (more protons in the nucleus) while the shielding effect from inner electrons remains relatively constant, the effective nuclear charge on the valence electrons increases, making the atom more capable of attracting shared electrons.

As we move down a group (from top to bottom) in the periodic table, electronegativity generally decreases. This is due to the addition of electron shells, which increases the distance between the nucleus and the valence electrons, and also increases the shielding effect from inner electrons. These factors reduce the effective nuclear charge's influence on the valence electrons, decreasing the atom's ability to attract shared electrons.

Answer:

The ability of an atom in a chemical bond to attract shared electrons towards itself.

Part B