Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's tendency to attract electrons towards itself when it forms a chemical bond. Here's how it works:
* High electronegativity: Atoms with high electronegativity strongly attract electrons. They tend to gain electrons in an ionic bond, becoming negatively charged anions.
* Low electronegativity: Atoms with low electronegativity have a weaker attraction for electrons. They tend to lose electrons in an ionic bond, becoming positively charged cations.
In summary:
* Metals generally have low electronegativity, so they tend to lose electrons and form positive ions (cations).
* Nonmetals generally have high electronegativity, so they tend to gain electrons and form negative ions (anions).
Example:
Sodium (Na) has a low electronegativity, while chlorine (Cl) has a high electronegativity. When they form an ionic bond, sodium loses an electron to become a positive ion (Na+), while chlorine gains an electron to become a negative ion (Cl-). This creates the ionic compound sodium chloride (NaCl), also known as table salt.
