Explain electronegativity? and how it can justify why a metal will lose electrons and a nonmetal will gain electrons.

1 Answer
Jun 23, 2018

An old story...

Explanation:

#"Electronegativity"# is conceived to be the ability of an atom involved in a chemical bond, to polarize electron density towards itself.

See here; and here; and here.

Metals TEND to be electron-rich...and donate electrons. On the other hand, non-metals, have high nuclear charges, and tend to attract electrons in their compounds... Oxygen and fluorine are the MOST electronegative elements...