Question

Which of the following elements has the highest electronegativity?

• A. Sodium
• B. Fluorine
• C. Oxygen
• D. Chlorine

Hint:

Key Fact: Fluorine is the most electronegative element.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to attract electrons towards itself in a chemical bond. The most commonly used scale for electronegativity is the Pauling scale.

Among the given options, let's evaluate the electronegativity of each element:

• Sodium (Na): Electronegativity ≈ 0.93
• Fluorine (F): Electronegativity ≈ 3.98
• Oxygen (O): Electronegativity ≈ 3.44
• Chlorine (Cl): Electronegativity ≈ 3.16

From the electronegativity values, fluorine clearly has the highest electronegativity with a value of 3.98. Fluorine is the most electronegative element on the periodic table, making it extremely effective at attracting electrons in a bond.

Thus, the element with the highest electronegativity among the options is fluorine.

Answer 2

To determine which element has the highest electronegativity, we refer to the concept of electronegativity in chemistry. Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract and hold onto electrons within a covalent bond. Generally, electronegativity increases across a period from left to right in the periodic table and decreases down a group.

Let's evaluate the given elements:

• Sodium (Na) is an alkali metal located in Group 1, Period 3, with a relatively low electronegativity.
• Fluorine (F) is a halogen found in Group 17, Period 2, and is known for having the highest electronegativity of any element.
• Oxygen (O) is located in Group 16, Period 2, and has high electronegativity, but not as high as fluorine.
• Chlorine (Cl) is also a halogen in Group 17, Period 3. It has high electronegativity but lower than fluorine.

Based on these observations, fluorine is the element with the highest electronegativity among the options provided, due to its position in the periodic table and its inherent chemical properties.