Is oxygen more electronegative than carbon?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the electronegativity of oxygen compared to carbon, specifically whether oxygen has a higher ability to attract electrons when forming chemical bonds.
Answer
Yes, oxygen is more electronegative than carbon.
Yes, oxygen is more electronegative than carbon.
Answer for screen readers
Yes, oxygen is more electronegative than carbon.
More Information
Electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair of electrons. Oxygen has a higher electronegativity (3.44) compared to carbon (2.55) due to its greater nuclear charge and more effective attraction of electrons.
Tips
A common mistake in electronegativity comparison is not considering the periodic trend, where electronegativity increases as you go from left to right across a period.
Sources
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