Electron Affinity of Metals and Non-Metals
Metals have a lower electron affinity than non-metals, as they lose valence electrons to form cations and require energy to gain electrons. On the other hand, non-metals have a higher electron affinity, indicating a greater tendency to gain electrons to form anions and release energy in the process.
Electron affinity of non-metals is generally higher than metals, decreasing down a group in the periodic table. This difference in electron affinity is related to the stability achieved by attaining a fully stable octet, with non-metals being more likely to gain electrons to achieve this stable configuration.
Electron Affinity of Nobel gases
Electron affinities of noble gases are generally considered to be zero. Noble gases have complete valence electron shells, making them very stable and unreactive. Noble gases, such as Helium, Neon, and Argon, have an electron affinity nearly zero because they have a very stable octet configuration.
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
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