Which property is defined as the ability of an atom in a molecule to attract electrons?

• A. Electronegativity
• B. Ionization energy
• C. Atomic radius
• D. Valence electrons

Answer: (A)

Electronegativity is the ability of an atom to attract electrons in a chemical bond. In a molecule, shared electron density is drawn toward the more electronegative atom, giving that atom a partial negative charge while the other becomes slightly positive. This idea explains bond polarity and dipole moments, and it’s why some bonds are polar while others are nonpolar. Ionization energy describes how much energy is needed to remove an electron from an isolated atom, which isn’t about pulling electrons toward another atom in a bond. Atomic radius is just the size of the atom, and valence electrons are the outer-shell electrons involved in bonding, not the measure of how strongly an atom attracts electron density in a bond. So the property in question is electronegativity.