How do you find electronegativity

To calculate electronegativy, find the electronegative values of each element involved in the bond. Once you know those values, subtract the higher from the lower to determine the electronegative difference.

Explanation:

Obtain an electronegativity value chart

Every element on the periodic table has a set electronegativity; these charts are easily obtainable through the Internet or a general chemistry textbook. Electronegativity is the ability of an element to attract electrons towards itself.

Determine the electronegativity of the individual elements in the bond

Using the table obtained in step one, find the electronegative value of each element. On the periodic table, electronegativity increases from left to right along a period and decreases as you go down a group.

Determine the electronegative difference between the two elements

Subtract the smaller electronegative value obtained from the larger electronegative value. This positive value is the electronegative difference for the bond. A larger electronegative difference represents a polar bond in which the sharing of electrons is unequal.

Use the electronegative difference to determine the type of bond

The closer the electronegative difference is to zero, the less polar a bond is. An electronegative difference of zero represents a nonpolar bond. A value between zero and two represents a polar covalent bond. A value greater than two represents an ionic bond. Fluorine is the most electronegative element, with an electronegativity of 4.0.

The higher the attraction for an electron, the higher the electronegativity. It increases as you move left to right and down to up on the periodic table.