Which of the following statements about electronegativity is most likely true?

• A. Electronegativity is highest for elements in the lower left corner of the periodic table.
• B. Electronegativity generally decreases from top to bottom within a group.
• C. Electronegativity generally increases from left to right across a period.
• D. Electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to lose electrons in a chemical bond.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the definition of electronegativity: it is the tendency of an atom to attract shared electrons in a chemical bond, not to lose electrons.
2. Understand the periodic trends of electronegativity: it generally increases as you move from left to right across a period because atoms have more protons attracting electrons without a significant increase in shielding.
3. Recognize that electronegativity generally decreases as you move down a group because additional electron shells increase the distance between the nucleus and the valence electrons, reducing the nucleus's pull on bonding electrons.
4. Evaluate the given statements based on these trends: the statement that electronegativity is highest in the lower left corner is incorrect because those elements tend to have low electronegativity.
5. Conclude that the statement 'Electronegativity generally increases from left to right across a period' is the most accurate based on the periodic trends and the definition of electronegativity.