The Pauling Scale

The Pauling Scale is a way to measure an element’s electronegativity, which is its ability to attract electrons when forming chemical bonds. Developed by Linus Pauling, this scale assigns a number to each element, where higher values mean a stronger attraction for electrons. For example, fluorine has the highest electronegativity, meaning it strongly attracts electrons, while elements like cesium have low values. This scale helps chemists understand how different elements interact and bond, influencing the properties of molecules and materials. It’s a useful tool for predicting chemical behavior based on how elements attract electrons.