(a) What is the trend in electronegativity going from left to right in a row of the periodic table? (b) How do electronegativity values generally vary going down a column in the periodic table? (c) True or false: The most easily ionizable elements are the most electronegative.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of electronegativity, which is the ability of an atom to attract electrons in a chemical bond.
2. Step 2: Analyze the trend in electronegativity across a period (row) in the periodic table. Electronegativity generally increases from left to right across a period due to increasing nuclear charge and a constant shielding effect, which allows the nucleus to attract bonding electrons more strongly.
3. Step 3: Examine the trend in electronegativity down a group (column) in the periodic table. Electronegativity generally decreases as you move down a group because the additional electron shells increase the distance between the nucleus and the valence electrons, reducing the nucleus's ability to attract bonding electrons.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the statement: 'The most easily ionizable elements are the most electronegative.' Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom. Elements that are easily ionizable have low ionization energies and are typically metals, which are not highly electronegative. Therefore, the statement is false.
5. Step 5: Summarize the key points: Electronegativity increases across a period and decreases down a group, and the most easily ionizable elements are not the most electronegative.

Key Concepts

Electronegativity

Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract and hold onto electrons in a chemical bond. It is a key factor in determining how atoms interact with each other, influencing bond polarity and molecular structure. The most commonly used scale for electronegativity is the Pauling scale, where values range from 0.7 (francium) to 4.0 (fluorine).

Periodic Trends

Periodic trends refer to predictable patterns observed in the properties of elements as one moves across a period (left to right) or down a group (top to bottom) in the periodic table. For electronegativity, it generally increases across a period due to increasing nuclear charge and decreases down a group due to increased distance from the nucleus and electron shielding.

Ionization Energy

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom in its gaseous state. There is a relationship between ionization energy and electronegativity; typically, elements with high electronegativity also have high ionization energies. However, the statement that the most easily ionizable elements are the most electronegative is false, as these elements tend to be metals with low electronegativity.