Which of the following best describes the general trends in electronegativity values across the periodic table?

• A. Electronegativity remains constant across periods and groups.
• B. Electronegativity increases from left to right across a period and decreases from top to bottom down a group.
• C. Electronegativity increases from left to right across a period and increases from top to bottom down a group.
• D. Electronegativity decreases from left to right across a period and increases from top to bottom down a group.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract and hold onto electrons in a chemical bond.
2. Recall the general trend across a period (left to right) in the periodic table: as atomic number increases, the effective nuclear charge increases, pulling electrons closer and increasing electronegativity.
3. Recall the general trend down a group (top to bottom): as atomic size increases due to additional electron shells, the outer electrons are farther from the nucleus and experience more shielding, which decreases electronegativity.
4. Combine these trends to conclude that electronegativity increases from left to right across a period and decreases from top to bottom down a group.
5. Use this understanding to evaluate the given options and identify the one that correctly describes these trends.