ok this is from a past-paper;

 

Describe the different ways in which the electronegativity of an element has been defined.

 

I don't know what to answer. I think maybe the question is asking about the pauling, mulliken and allfered-rochow electronegativity values but i can't be sure.

 

Any help on what the question is asking and what should i write.

EN depends not only the element but also the ligands and the hybridization

CF3 >> CH3 or CH3< CH2= < CN

and for the same oxydation state

XeF2<XeF+ it depends of the charge

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Merged post follows:

Consecutive posts merged

EN F 3,8 O 3,5 Cl 3,18 N 3 Br 2,96 the more EN elements

EN depends not only the element but also the ligands and the hybridization

CF3 >> CH3 or CH3< CH2= < CN

and for the same oxydation state

XeF2<XeF+ it depends of the charge

---

Merged post follows:

Consecutive posts merged

EN F 3,8 O 3,5 Cl 3,18 N 3 Br 2,96 the more EN elements

 

appreciate the reply, but that is not what i am looking for as the answer. I wanted to ask what to write for the answer instead of the dependence of the EN.

 

But, thanks very much for reply .

electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to attract shared pair of electron . fluorine has the highest tendency so it is assigned an electonegativity 4 and all other elements has lesser electronegativiy than fluorine . the appropriate scale is one developed by Pauling . and i think the charge dependency of electronegativity is completely wrong .

electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to attract shared pair of electron . fluorine has the highest tendency so it is assigned an electonegativity 4 and all other elements has lesser electronegativiy than fluorine . the appropriate scale is one developed by Pauling . and i think the charge dependency of electronegativity is completely wrong .

 

Hi vedmencum,

 

Thank you for your answer but like I said i know about electronegativity already its just that i was asking about suggestion about what to write as an answer. Yes, pauling scale is the one mostly used but its empirical , mullikans scale(which takes the average b/w the IE and electron affinity) can give numerical values....except for noble gases.

 

Thank anyway

i think you're right, chemsid. The question appears to be talking about the various scales used historically. I think a safe answer would be a simple description of the three major scales in a rough chronological order

I also think that's what the question is about. You might also want to add something about the pros and cons of the various definitions.

Incidentally, I never found "electronegativity" to be a very useful concept.

As far as I can see, the definition is pretty much circular.

It seems to be something like "Fluorine and oxygen behave in such and such a way because they are electronegative; electronegative elements are the ones that behave in such and such a way."

Actually, they behave that way because of the way their electrons are organised and the extent to which they shield the nucleus. If their electrons didn't behave that way, they would be a different element.