The likelihood of a neutral atom gaining an electron is known as:

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

SSC Selection Post 2024 (Higher Secondary Level) Official Paper (Held On: 24 Jun, 2024 Shift 2)

Answer 1

The likelihood of a neutral atom gaining an electron is known as electron affinity.

Key Points

Electron affinity is defined as the amount of energy released when a neutral atom in the gaseous phase gains an electron to form a negative ion.
This property is an indication of the ability of an atom to accept an electron.
Higher electron affinity values indicate a greater tendency to gain an electron.
Electron affinity generally increases across a period and decreases down a group in the periodic table.

Additional Information

Electronegativity is a measure of the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair of electrons.
Electro positivity is the ability of an element to donate electrons and form positive ions.
Electron affinity is different from electronegativity, which is a measure of the ability of an atom to attract electrons in a chemical bond.
Elements with high electron affinities tend to be non-metals, as they are more likely to gain electrons.