Here's why:
* Electron affinity is the change in energy that occurs when an electron is added to a neutral atom in the gaseous state to form a negative ion.
* In this case, a chlorine atom (Cl) gains an electron to become a chloride ion (Cl⁻).
The electron affinity of chlorine is approximately -349 kJ/mol. This negative value indicates that energy is released during the process. In other words, energy is given off when a chlorine atom gains an electron.
Important note: The electron affinity is a specific value for each element. It's not a general term for any energy change involving chloride ions.
