Final answer:
Electronegativity is the measure of an atom's ability to attract electrons in a bond, with higher values indicating stronger attraction. Fluorine is the most electronegative element. A more electronegative atom in a covalent bond pulls more electron density towards itself, leading to polarized bonds.
Step-by-step explanation:
Electronegativity is defined as the ability of an atom within a compound to attract electrons to itself. This ability determines how electron pairs are distributed in a covalent bond. The electronegativity values generally increase across the periodic table from left to right, and the most electronegative element, fluorine, has the highest value of 3.98. When atoms in a compound have different electronegativity values, the bonding electrons are drawn more toward the more electronegative atom.
When an element is described as being more electronegative, it means that it has a greater ability to attract and hold onto bonding electrons compared to other atoms in a chemical bond. This trend is evident in the periodic table where electronegativity increases as one moves from the bottom left to the top right corner. Some characteristics of highly electronegative elements include a tendency to gain electrons in chemical reactions and to create polarity in bonds when paired with less electronegative elements.