Electronegativity definition

• A. Electronegativity is the attraction of a particular atom for the electrons of a covalent bond.
• B. Electronegativity is the energy required to break a bond.
• C. Electronegativity is the distance between nuclei in a diatomic molecule.
• D. Electronegativity is the tendency of a solid to conduct electricity.

Answer: (A)

Electronegativity is the attraction an atom has for electrons in a covalent bond. It explains why bonds are polar: atoms with higher electronegativity pull shared electron density toward themselves, creating partial charges on the atoms involved. It’s a relative, dimensionless quantity used to compare how strongly different atoms attract bonding electrons (often on the Pauling scale). This idea is distinct from other properties—bond strength (how much energy is needed to break a bond), bond length (the distance between nuclei in a molecule), or a solid’s ability to conduct electricity. For example, oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, so in water it pulls electron density toward itself, giving oxygen a partial negative charge and hydrogens partial positive charges.