hmm I think we need another person's opinion, BUT from what i understand...
electronegativity refers to the "pull" that the electronegative atom has on the other atom that it is bond to. So, for example the nucleus of O has a strong "pull" on the electrons of it's 2 H's in H20.
..whereas, electron affinity of an atom refers to the ease by which that atom can ACCEPT another electron.
So.. i think the diff lies in that fact that electronegativity is about keeping what u got, while elecron affinity is about acquiring what you don't have.
Electronegativity, symbol χ, is a chemical property that describes the ability of an atom (or, more rarely, a functional group) to attract electrons (or electron density) towards itself in a covalent bond.
The electron affinity, Eea, of an atom or molecule is the energy required to detach an electron from a singly charged negativeion, i.e., the energy change for the process
X- → X + e−
The electron affinity, Eea, of an atom or molecule is the energy required to detach an electron from a singly charged negativeion, i.e., the energy change for the process
X- → X + e−
k im confused now....i thought that electron affinity is the energy required to accept an electron, not detach one? ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron.
IWantH2O: Semantics The higher the energy required to remove an electron from an ion, the higher the electron affinity. Conversely, the lower the energy required for an atom to become an ion (addition of an electron), the higher the electron affinity.
This site uses cookies to help personalize content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies and terms of service.