Question

The most electronegative element in the periodic table is
A. Nitrogen
B. Oxygen
C. Chlorine
D. Fluorine

Answer 1

Hint: Electronegativity is defined as the tendency of an atom in a molecule to attract a shared pair of electrons towards itself. In simple manner we can say that electronegativity shows the tendency of atoms in different elements to attract the electron pairs involved in the bond formation.

Complete answer:
Electronegativity is the property of an element to attract shared pair electrons towards itself and it is basically a dimensionless quantity. Electronegativity generally depends upon the size of an atom, nuclear charge and also on the substituent present on the atom. Electronegativity can be measured with the help of many scales but the most common one is the Pauling scale which was designed by the scientist known by the name Linus Pauling.
Out of all the elements in the periodic table fluorine is the most electronegative element showing 3.98 as its electronegativity value. Reason for being most electronegative can be explained as fluorine atom needs only one electron to fill its outer electron shell and achieve stable configuration as fluorine has electronic configuration of $1{{s}^{2}}2{{s}^{2}}2{{p}^{5}}$ and by acquiring one electrons it form stable configuration which is shown as $1{{s}^{2}}2{{s}^{2}}2{{p}^{6}}$. Due to this reason fluorine exists as ${{F}^{-}}$ ion.

Hence we can say that option D is the correct answer.

Note:
Periodic table is the table which arranges the chemical elements according to their reoccurring properties. It consists of seven rows which is known as periods and eighteen columns known as groups. Table also distinguishes the elements into metals, nonmetals and metalloids.