This printable electronegativity periodic table shows the trends in electronegativity and values for each element.
A PDF of this periodic table is available for printing.
Electronegativity and the Periodic Table of Elements
Electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to attract the electrons of another atom to form a bond. Atoms with high electronegativity will strongly attract the electrons of other atoms. Atoms with low electronegativity are more likely to have their bonding electrons pulled away. As you cross the periodic table from right to left, electronegativity tends to increase. As you travel down the periodic table from top to bottom, the electronegativity decreases. The difference between electronegativities can be used to determine the type of bond that is formed when two atoms bond together. If there is no difference between their electronegativities, the bond is a nonpolar covalent bond. This most often happens when two of the same atom bonds together — O2, N2, H2 are all nonpolar bonds. A small difference in electronegativities will produce a polar covalent bond and a large difference forms an ionic bond. The exact dividing line between small and large differences is a subject of debate. Some elements do not share their electrons except under extreme conditions. Nobel gasses like helium, neon, argon, and radon have no electronegativity values. Elements above 103 all have short half-lives and the electronegativity values are unknown.