Electronegativity across period 3
Learning outcomes
After studying this page, you should be able to:
- describe and explain the trend in electronegativity across period 3.
Electronegativity
The table shows electronegativity values for the elements sodium to argon.
| Element | Symbol | Atomic number | Electronegativity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sodium | Na | 11 | 0.93 |
| Magnesium | Mg | 12 | 1.31 |
| Aluminium | Al | 13 | 1.61 |
| Silicon | Si | 14 | 1.90 |
| Phosphorus | P | 15 | 2.19 |
| Sulfur | S | 16 | 2.58 |
| Chlorine | Cl | 17 | 3.16 |
| Argon | Ar | 18 |
Electronegativity is the ability of an atom to attract the bonding electrons in a covalent bond.
The table gives values on the Pauling scale, which has no units. Fluorine (3.98) is the most electronegative element.
Description
The graph shows how electronegativity varies across period 3:
- as you go across period 3, electronegativity increases.
When you click on the download symbol, you will be able to download the graph as an image file or pdf file, save its data, annotate it, and print it.
Explanation
In Period 3, sodium with 11 protons is the least electronegative element, and chlorine with 17 protons is the most electronegative element. You might expect argon (with 18 electrons) to be the most electronegative element in Period 3. However, it does not form covalent bonds, so it does not have an electronegativity value.
