Which of the following best describes the general trend for electronegativity in the periodic table?

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

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 periodic trends: as you move from left to right across a period, the number of protons in the nucleus increases, which generally increases the attraction for electrons, thus increasing electronegativity.
3. Recognize that as you move down a group, atoms have more electron shells, which increases the distance between the nucleus and the valence electrons, reducing the nucleus's pull on bonding electrons and thus decreasing electronegativity.
4. Combine these observations to conclude that electronegativity increases from left to right across a period and decreases from top to bottom down a group.
5. Use this trend to evaluate the given answer choices and identify the one that correctly describes this behavior.