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+ Electronegativity
+ Oxygen
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Mason Lobhob

Why is oxygen less electronegative than sulphur?

Don Forcash  Follow

Actually, oxygen is more electronegative than sulfur.

Electronegativity refers to the ability of an atom to attract shared electrons in a covalent bond. Both oxygen and sulfur atom are Group 16 (Group VIA) elements. As oxygen has 2 filled electron shells while sulfur has 3, oxygen atom is smaller than sulfur atom and thus the shared electrons experienced a stronger nuclear attraction by oxygen atom than sulfur atom.

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Chuck Britton  Follow

You mean [math]ext{“why is sulfur LESS electronegative than oxygen?”}[/math]

Well, because electronegativity INCREASES from left to right across the Period as we face the Periodic Table, but DECREASES down the Group. And why so? Well, while the sulfur atom has greater atomic charge, its valence electrons are situated FARTHER from the nuclear charge of the atom. SO oxygen polarizes electron-density more strongly in the bonds in which it participates. And we should report some values Electronegativity - Wikipedia…on the Pauling scale…

[math]S[/math], [math]chi_{ext{the electronegatvity}} = 2.58[/math].

[math]O[/math], [math]chi = 3.44[/math]

[math]F[/math], [math]chi = 3.98[/math]

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