General Chemistry Placement Practice Test 2025 – Your All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

Question: 1 / 400

As you move from left to right across a period in the periodic table, what generally happens to the electronegativity?

It decreases

It remains constant

It increases

As you move from left to right across a period in the periodic table, electronegativity generally increases due to the increasing nuclear charge experienced by the electrons in the same energy level. This increase in positive charge in the nucleus attracts the bonding electrons more strongly as the atomic number increases. Consequently, atoms become more effective at attracting electrons in a chemical bond as you move toward the right side of the periodic table.

For instance, fluorine is more electronegative than lithium or sodium, which is a direct consequence of the increased nuclear charge and the reduced distance between the nucleus and the bonding electrons. The trend reflects how elements on the right side of the periodic table, which typically have higher electronegativity, tend to hold onto electrons more tightly compared to those on the left side.

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It fluctuates randomly

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