1. What is Electronegativity?

Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract shared electrons in a chemical bond. The Mulliken scale calculates electronegativity as the average of an atom's ionization energy and electron affinity.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Mulliken electronegativity formula:

Where:

• \( EN \) — Electronegativity (dimensionless)
• \( IE \) — Ionization energy (eV)
• \( EA \) — Electron affinity (eV)

Explanation: The equation averages the energy required to remove an electron (ionization energy) and the energy released when gaining an electron (electron affinity).

3. Importance of Electronegativity

Details: Electronegativity helps predict bond type (ionic vs covalent), bond polarity, and chemical reactivity. It's fundamental in understanding molecular structure and chemical reactions.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter ionization energy and electron affinity in electron volts (eV). Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What are typical electronegativity values?
A: On the Mulliken scale, values typically range from ~2 to ~4. Fluorine has the highest electronegativity (~3.98 on Pauling scale).

Q2: How does this compare to Pauling scale?
A: Mulliken values can be converted to Pauling scale by dividing by 2.8. The Pauling scale is more commonly used in chemistry.

Q3: Why use both IE and EA?
A: IE measures electron pulling power while EA measures electron holding power. Together they give a complete picture of electron attraction.

Q4: What elements have highest electronegativity?
A: Fluorine > Oxygen > Chlorine > Nitrogen are generally the most electronegative elements.

Q5: How does electronegativity vary in periodic table?
A: Increases left to right across periods and decreases top to bottom in groups.