Question

How is Electronegativity vary in Halogen family?

Answer 1

Electronegativity in Halogens

• The ability of an atom or a molecule to attract the shared pair of an electron towards itself to form a covalent bond is called electronegativity.
• On going down the group the electronegativity decreases.
• The electronegativity values of the halogen group are given below.

$\mathrm{F}=3.98,\mathrm{Cl}=3.16,\mathrm{Br}=2.96,\mathrm{I}=2.66,\mathrm{At}=2.2$

• Chlorine has a higher electron affinity than Fluorine.
• Fluorine is the most electronegative element, it has electronegativity of 3.98, but still, its electron affinity is less than that of chlorine.
• It is because of the small size of fluorine.
• The electronegativity of the Halogens decreases as we go down the group, the elements get larger and therefore less reactive.

The descending order of electronegativity in the halogens is $\mathrm{F}>\mathrm{Cl}>\mathrm{Br}>\mathrm{I}>\mathrm{At}>\mathrm{Ts}.$