Final answer:
Electronegativity is the ability of an atom to attract electrons within a compound, affecting bond polarity and molecule properties. It is symbolized by a relative scale, with a general increasing trend from the lower left to the upper right of the periodic table. Fluorine has the highest value, suggesting it attracts electrons most effectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
Electronegativity is a fundamental concept in chemistry that describes the ability of an atom to attract electrons towards itself when it is part of a compound. This property is crucial because it affects how atoms bond with each other and the polarity of molecules. Atoms with high electronegativity, such as fluorine, which has the highest electronegativity value of 3.98, attract electrons more strongly than atoms with lower electronegativity. The electronegativity values increase from the lower left-hand corner of the periodic table to the upper right-hand corner, indicating a general trend of increasing electronegativity from elements like francium (with one of the lowest electronegativity values) to fluorine.
The concept of electronegativity also helps explain the nature of covalent bonds. Bonds between atoms with differing electronegativities will be polar, where the shared electrons are closer to the more electronegative atom. This influences the electron distribution within a molecule and can be represented through electrostatic potential maps that use color to show areas of high and low electron density.