Question

The valence of an atom represents its

A) ability to interact with water.
B) ability to interact with other atoms.
C) radioactivity.
D) ability to attract electrons.
E) electronegativity.

Answer 1

The valence of an atom represents its ability to interact with other atoms, while electronegativity is the ability of an atom to attract electrons to itself.

Step-by-step explanation:

The valence of an atom represents its ability to interact with other atoms. The valence shell, which is the atom's outermost electron shell, determines its reactivity. If the valence shell is full, the atom is stable and unlikely to react. If the valence shell is not full, the atom is reactive and tends to react with other atoms to make the valence shell full.

Electronegativity, on the other hand, is the ability of an atom in a compound to attract electrons to itself. It is a measure of how strongly an atom can pull or attract electrons in a chemical bond. The greater the electronegativity value, the greater its attractiveness for electrons.