Electron Affinity Values
Electron affinity values defines the energy change due to addition of an electron to a gaseous atom. Each element has distinct electron affinity value. The general description of electron affinity value of each kind of element is given below:
- Electron affinities of noble gases are generally considered to be zero.
- Electron affinities of alkaline earth metals are negative.
- Nonmetals generally have higher electron affinities compared to metals.
Electron affinity of few of the common elements are described below:
Electron Affinity of Oxygen
Electron affinity of oxygen is the energy released when an electron is added to an isolated gaseous oxygen atom. The measurement of the electron affinity of oxygen is 1.46 eV. This value indicates the energy released when an electron is added to form O–.
The first electron affinity of oxygen is -142 kJ mol-1, which is lower than that of fluorine, indicating that oxygen has a lower tendency to accept an electron than fluorine.
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Electron Affinity of Chlorine
Electron affinity of Chlorine is -349 kJ/mol. This value indicates the energy released when an electron is added to form Cl–. Chlorine’s high electron affinity is related to its position in the halogen group, which has the highest electron affinities among all elements.
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Electron Affinity of Fluorine
Electron affinity of fluorine is -328 kJ/mol. This negative value indicates that energy is released when an electron is gained by a fluorine atom, as there is an attraction between the protons in the nucleus and the added electron.
Fluorine’s high electron affinity is due to its small size, which brings the incoming electron closer to the nucleus, resulting in a strong attraction.
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Electron Affinity
Electron Affinity is a measure of the attraction between an incoming electron and the nucleus of an atom or molecule. It is defined as the change in energy (in kJ/mole) of a neutral atom (in the gaseous phase) when an electron is added to the atom.
In this article, we will look into what electron affinity is, its periodic trends, the factors affecting electron affinity, and the values of electron affinity of different elements.
Table of Content
- What is Electron Affinity?
- Trends in Electron Affinity
- Types of Electron Affinity
- Factors Affecting Electron Affinity
- Electron Affinity Vs Ionization Energy