Pauling electronegativity scale

The Pauling electronegativity scale measures how strongly an atom pulls shared electrons toward itself in a chemical bond. Developed by Linus Pauling, it assigns a number to each element; higher numbers indicate a greater ability to attract electrons. For example, fluorine has a high value, meaning it strongly attracts electrons, while elements like cesium have low values, indicating weaker attraction. This scale helps predict how atoms will interact and bond, influencing the compound's properties. Essentially, it reflects an atom's tendency to "hog" electrons when forming molecules.