Why does fluorine (F) have a high electronegativity compared to other elements?

• A. Fluorine has a large atomic radius, allowing it to easily share electrons with other atoms.
• B. Fluorine has a small atomic radius and a high effective nuclear charge, which strongly attracts bonding electrons.
• C. Fluorine has a completely filled valence shell, making it highly reactive and electronegative.
• D. Fluorine has a low effective nuclear charge, resulting in weak attraction for bonding electrons.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of electronegativity: Electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to attract bonding electrons toward itself when it forms a chemical bond.
2. Consider atomic radius: A smaller atomic radius means the nucleus is closer to the bonding electrons, increasing the attraction between the nucleus and the electrons.
3. Examine effective nuclear charge (Z_eff): This is the net positive charge experienced by valence electrons after accounting for shielding by inner electrons. A higher Z_eff means stronger attraction for bonding electrons.
4. Apply these concepts to fluorine: Fluorine has a small atomic radius and a high effective nuclear charge, which means its nucleus strongly attracts bonding electrons.
5. Conclude why fluorine is highly electronegative: Because of its small size and strong nuclear pull (high Z_eff), fluorine attracts electrons more strongly than most other elements, resulting in its high electronegativity.