How do electronegativity values determine the charge distribution?

Question

Christian Anderson · Accepted Answer

The atom with the greatest electronegativity attracts the electron cloud more strongly gaining the greatest negative charge.

The attraction that an atom has for electrons is measured by its electronegativity. In #H_2# the two atoms have the same electronegativity so the charge is evenly distributed between the two atoms. In # H_2O# The Oxygen has an electronegativity of 3.5 while Hydrogen has an electronegativity of only 2.1 There is a difference of 1.4 electronegativity. This is not enough difference to create an ionic bond. However there is enough difference to create a strongly polar bond. The hydrogen atom receives less than half of the electron cloud, which results in a partial positive charge, while the oxygen atom receives the majority of the electron cloud, resulting in a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom. A variation in charge distribution is caused by a difference in electronegativity.

Skylar Alexander · Answer

undefined Electronegativity values determine the charge distribution in molecules by indicating the ability of an atom to attract electrons towards itself in a chemical bond. Atoms with higher electronegativity values tend to attract electrons more strongly, leading to partial negative charges near those atoms and partial positive charges near atoms with lower electronegativity values in a polar covalent bond.