What does the term "electronegativity" refer to?

Electronegativity is defined as the ability of an atom to attract shared electrons in a chemical bond. This property is essential in understanding how different elements interact with each other in chemical reactions. In any covalent bond, the difference in electronegativity between the two atoms involved determines how electron density is distributed between them.

For example, in a bond between a highly electronegative atom and a less electronegative atom, the more electronegative atom will draw the shared electrons closer to itself, resulting in a polar bond. This concept is crucial in predicting the behavior of molecules, their reactivity, and the nature of various chemical bonds formed.

Understanding electronegativity helps explain many phenomena, such as molecular polarity, reactivity patterns, and the physical properties of compounds. It is also a key factor in predicting the type of bond (ionic or covalent) that will form between two elements based on their respective electronegativities.