Which of the following elements has the lowest electronegativity?

a. bromine

b. lithium

c. carbon

d. fluorine

B

Explanation:

Electronegativity is a term used to describe the ability of an atom to attract to itself a bonding electron pair. It is one of the several properties that exhibit periodicity. This serves to mean that it varies within groups and across periods on the periodic table.

With the exception of the element bromine in the options list, all the other three elements belong to the same period of the periodic table. They belong to period two of the periodic table. This is because they have the same number of electron shells which is 2.

Hence, it is expected that the electronegativity trend is expected to persist to an extent in these elements. It must be said that electronegativity increases across a period. Basically as we move across the periodic table from left to right, it is surely expected that we encounter an increase in electronegativity from left to right.

While metallic elements are expected to have less electronegativity values, the highest electronegativity values are expected to be found in the halogens.