The Tendency for an Atom to Attract Electrons to Itself

Question

The tendency for an atom to attract electrons to itself in a chemical bond is called
A) polarity.
B) electronegativity.
C) hydrophilicity
D) electrophilicity.

Accepted Answer

Electronegativity is defined as the tendency of an atom to attract electrons towards itself in a chemical bond. Option A, polarity, is a measure of the separation of charges within a molecule, which is related but not the same as electronegativity. Option C, hydrophilicity, refers to the ability of a substance to dissolve in water, and is unrelated to electronegativity. Option D, electrophilicity, refers to the tendency of a molecule or functional group to accept electrons during a chemical reaction, which is opposite to electronegativity. Therefore, option B, electronegativity, is the correct answer.