Which of the following elements has the highest electronegativity?

• A. O (oxygen)
• B. Cl (chlorine)
• C. F (fluorine)
• D. N (nitrogen)

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of electronegativity: it is a measure of an atom's ability to attract and hold onto electrons in a chemical bond.
2. Recall the general trend of electronegativity in the periodic table: it increases from left to right across a period and decreases from top to bottom within a group.
3. Identify the positions of the given elements on the periodic table: Oxygen (O) and Nitrogen (N) are in period 2, Chlorine (Cl) and Fluorine (F) are in period 3 and 2 respectively, with Fluorine being in group 17 (halogens).
4. Compare the elements based on their group and period: Fluorine is located at the top right of the periodic table (excluding noble gases), which corresponds to the highest electronegativity among the options.
5. Conclude that Fluorine has the highest electronegativity because it is the most effective at attracting electrons due to its position in the periodic table.