Why Chlorine has Higher Electron Affinity than Fluorine

AI Thread Summary
Chlorine has a higher electron affinity than fluorine despite fluorine being the most electronegative element due to its smaller atomic radius. The compact size of fluorine results in a crowded electron cloud, making it more challenging for additional electrons to approach and be attracted to the nucleus. This phenomenon explains why chlorine, with a larger atomic radius, can more easily accommodate an incoming electron, leading to a higher electron affinity. Further exploration of this concept can enhance understanding and provide insights for discussions with educators.
jimmy p
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Just a quickie, why does Chlorine have a higher electron affinity than fluorine, when fluorine is the most electronegative element in the periodic table??

I asked my chem tutor but she didnt really explain much.
 
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It's due to the smaller radius of flourine. Without going into too much detail, the smaller radius makes it a bit more difficult for approaching electron to be attracted to the nucleus since it is already crowded. Hope this helps.
 
but surely such a high electronegativity it wouldn't matter if they didnt get close as long as they attracted.

OK I am intrigued, what is "more detail" please? I am really getting into chemistry even if it doesn't excite me so I would like to know so i can impress the tutor.
 

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