Use our electronegativity calculator for quick and accurate calculations. Free online tool.
The Electronegativity Calculator lets you look up and compare the Pauling electronegativity values of any element. Electronegativity measures the tendency of an atom to attract a shared pair of electrons toward itself in a chemical bond. It is a dimensionless quantity on the Pauling scale, where fluorine is assigned the maximum value of 3.98 and francium the minimum of 0.70.
Electronegativity increases across a period and decreases down a group. The difference in electronegativity (ΔEN) between two bonded atoms predicts bond type: ΔEN < 0.5 is nonpolar covalent (e.g., C–C), 0.5–1.7 is polar covalent (e.g., H–Cl: ΔEN = 3.16 − 2.20 = 0.96), and ΔEN > 1.7 is ionic (e.g., Na–F: ΔEN = 3.98 − 0.93 = 3.05).
Enter two element symbols to compute ΔEN and predict bond polarity. The calculator supports Pauling, Mulliken, and Allred-Rochow scales and provides dipole direction. Applications include designing polar molecules, predicting solubility in polar solvents, understanding acid strength, and planning organic reactions.
Atomic radius, ionization energy, electron affinity, electronegativity, and periodic trends
Explore CategoryElectronegativity is the ability of an atom to attract bonding electrons toward itself. It determines bond polarity and molecular dipole moments.
Fluorine is the most electronegative element with a Pauling value of 3.98, followed by oxygen (3.44) and nitrogen (3.04).
A ΔEN below 0.5 indicates nonpolar covalent, 0.5–1.7 polar covalent, and above 1.7 ionic character; these are approximate thresholds, not absolute boundaries.
The Pauling scale is based on bond energies and is the most widely used; the Mulliken scale averages ionization energy and electron affinity to give an absolute electronegativity in eV.
Yes. Higher oxidation states increase effective nuclear charge, making an element more electronegative; for example, Cr(VI) is more electronegative than Cr(II).