Exambodh - Practice Aptitude, Reasoning & GK Questions
Play Quiz
SSC CGL
mediumQ. No. 14865

Which element has the highest electronegativity?

Last Updated:

Fluorine has the highest electronegativity of all elements. On the Pauling scale, its electronegativity is about 3.98, commonly rounded to 4.0. Electronegativity generally increases from left to right across a period because effective nuclear charge rises, and it decreases down a group because atomic size and shielding increase. Fluorine lies near the top-right of the periodic table, has a very small atomic radius and strongly attracts a shared pair of electrons. Oxygen, nitrogen and chlorine are also highly electronegative, but each has a lower value than fluorine. Concept depth: Electronegativity describes an atom's tendency within a chemical bond to attract shared electron density.

AOxygen
BNitrogen
CFluorine
DChlorine
Correct Answer: FluorineYour Answer: C

Explanation

Correct answer: Option C — Fluorine. Fluorine’s small size and high effective nuclear charge give it the strongest attraction for bonding electrons. Hence oxygen, nitrogen and chlorine are not the highest. Remember the broad trend: electronegativity increases across a period and decreases down a group. Deeper option analysis: Oxygen is highly electronegative but does not exceed fluorine. Nitrogen lies to the left of oxygen and fluorine in Period 2. Chlorine is the most electronegative element in Period 3, but its larger size and greater shielding make it less electronegative than fluorine. Do not confuse electronegativity with electron-gain enthalpy: chlorine has a more negative electron-gain enthalpy than fluorine in the standard school-level comparison, even though fluorine is more electronegative.

Important Notes

  • Fluorine has the highest Pauling electronegativity, about 3.98.
  • Across a period, electronegativity generally increases.
  • Down a group, electronegativity generally decreases.
  • Do not confuse electronegativity with electron-gain enthalpy.

Related Questions

View All
14964Which metal is the best conductor of electricity?14963Which of the following is the correct IUPAC name of CH3-CH=CH-CH3?14962What is the overall cell reaction in a Daniell cell?
Previous QuestionNext Question

Test your SSC CGL Chemistry knowledge

Start Topic Test

FAQ

SSC CGL Chemistry FAQs

Common questions and clear answers for this topic.

Which element is most electronegative?

Fluorine is the most electronegative element.

What is fluorine’s electronegativity?

It is about 3.98 on the Pauling scale.

Is electronegativity the same as electron affinity?

No. Electronegativity concerns shared electrons in a bond; electron affinity concerns adding an electron to an isolated gaseous atom.

Why is fluorine more electronegative than chlorine?

Fluorine is smaller and less shielded, so it attracts bonding electrons more strongly.

How many chemistry questions typically appear in the SSC CGL exam?

Chemistry usually contributes a handful of questions within the General Awareness section, generally covering basic concepts rather than calculation-heavy problems.

Which chemistry topics are most important for SSC CGL preparation?

Atomic structure, periodic table trends, acids-bases-salts, metals and non-metals, and carbon compounds are the areas that appear most consistently across past papers.

Same Topic MCQs

View All
Which metal is the best conductor of electricity?Which of the following is the correct IUPAC name of CH3-CH=CH-CH3?What is the overall cell reaction in a Daniell cell?
Which element has the... | SSC CGL Chemistry MCQ | Exambodh