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Periodic trend

Electron Affinity

Energy released when an atom gains an electron. Largest for the halogens, near zero for the noble gases.

Electron Affinity plotted against atomic numberElectron Affinity for 109 of the 118 elements, from -223.2 to 348.6 kJ/mol. Energy released when an atom gains an electron. Largest for the halogens, near zero for the noble gases.1234567-223.2-80.362.7205.6348.6 Hydrogen (H): 72.8 kJ/mol Helium (He): -48.0 kJ/mol Lithium (Li): 59.6 kJ/mol Beryllium (Be): -48.0 kJ/mol Boron (B): 27.0 kJ/mol Carbon (C): 121.8 kJ/mol Nitrogen (N): -6.8 kJ/mol Oxygen (O): 141.0 kJ/mol Fluorine (F): 328.2 kJ/mol Neon (Ne): -116.0 kJ/mol Sodium (Na): 52.9 kJ/mol Magnesium (Mg): -40.0 kJ/mol Aluminium (Al): 41.8 kJ/mol Silicon (Si): 134.1 kJ/mol Phosphorus (P): 72.0 kJ/mol Sulfur (S): 200.4 kJ/mol Chlorine (Cl): 348.6 kJ/mol Argon (Ar): -96.0 kJ/mol Potassium (K): 48.4 kJ/mol Calcium (Ca): 2.4 kJ/mol Scandium (Sc): 18.0 kJ/mol Titanium (Ti): 7.3 kJ/mol Vanadium (V): 50.9 kJ/mol Chromium (Cr): 65.2 kJ/mol Manganese (Mn): -50.0 kJ/mol Iron (Fe): 14.8 kJ/mol Cobalt (Co): 63.9 kJ/mol Nickel (Ni): 111.7 kJ/mol Copper (Cu): 119.2 kJ/mol Zinc (Zn): -58.0 kJ/mol Gallium (Ga): 41.0 kJ/mol Germanium (Ge): 118.9 kJ/mol Arsenic (As): 77.7 kJ/mol Selenium (Se): 195.0 kJ/mol Bromine (Br): 324.5 kJ/mol Krypton (Kr): -96.0 kJ/mol Rubidium (Rb): 46.9 kJ/mol Strontium (Sr): 5.0 kJ/mol Yttrium (Y): 29.6 kJ/mol Zirconium (Zr): 41.8 kJ/mol Niobium (Nb): 88.5 kJ/mol Molybdenum (Mo): 72.1 kJ/mol Technetium (Tc): 53.0 kJ/mol Ruthenium (Ru): 101.0 kJ/mol Rhodium (Rh): 110.3 kJ/mol Palladium (Pd): 54.2 kJ/mol Silver (Ag): 125.9 kJ/mol Cadmium (Cd): -68.0 kJ/mol Indium (In): 37.0 kJ/mol Tin (Sn): 107.3 kJ/mol Antimony (Sb): 101.1 kJ/mol Tellurium (Te): 190.2 kJ/mol Iodine (I): 295.2 kJ/mol Xenon (Xe): -77.0 kJ/mol Cesium (Cs): 45.5 kJ/mol Barium (Ba): 14.0 kJ/mol Lanthanum (La): 53.0 kJ/mol Cerium (Ce): 55.0 kJ/mol Praseodymium (Pr): 93.0 kJ/mol Neodymium (Nd): 184.9 kJ/mol Promethium (Pm): 12.5 kJ/mol Samarium (Sm): 15.6 kJ/mol Europium (Eu): 11.2 kJ/mol Gadolinium (Gd): 13.2 kJ/mol Terbium (Tb): 112.4 kJ/mol Dysprosium (Dy): 34.0 kJ/mol Holmium (Ho): 32.6 kJ/mol Erbium (Er): 30.1 kJ/mol Thulium (Tm): 99.0 kJ/mol Ytterbium (Yb): -1.9 kJ/mol Lutetium (Lu): 33.4 kJ/mol Hafnium (Hf): 17.2 kJ/mol Tantalum (Ta): 31.0 kJ/mol Tungsten (W): 78.8 kJ/mol Rhenium (Re): 5.8 kJ/mol Osmium (Os): 104.0 kJ/mol Iridium (Ir): 150.9 kJ/mol Platinum (Pt): 205.0 kJ/mol Gold (Au): 222.7 kJ/mol Mercury (Hg): -48.0 kJ/mol Thallium (Tl): 36.4 kJ/mol Lead (Pb): 34.4 kJ/mol Bismuth (Bi): 90.9 kJ/mol Polonium (Po): 136.0 kJ/mol Astatine (At): 233.0 kJ/mol Radon (Rn): -68.0 kJ/mol Francium (Fr): 46.9 kJ/mol Radium (Ra): 9.6 kJ/mol Actinium (Ac): 33.8 kJ/mol Thorium (Th): 112.7 kJ/mol Protactinium (Pa): 53.0 kJ/mol Uranium (U): 50.9 kJ/mol Neptunium (Np): 45.9 kJ/mol Plutonium (Pu): -48.3 kJ/mol Americium (Am): 9.9 kJ/mol Curium (Cm): 27.2 kJ/mol Berkelium (Bk): -165.2 kJ/mol Californium (Cf): -97.3 kJ/mol Einsteinium (Es): -28.6 kJ/mol Fermium (Fm): 34.0 kJ/mol Mendelevium (Md): 93.9 kJ/mol Nobelium (No): -223.2 kJ/mol Lawrencium (Lr): -30.0 kJ/mol Roentgenium (Rg): 151.0 kJ/mol Nihonium (Nh): 66.6 kJ/mol Moscovium (Mc): 35.3 kJ/mol Livermorium (Lv): 74.9 kJ/mol Tennessine (Ts): 165.9 kJ/mol Oganesson (Og): 5.4 kJ/mol Period
109 of 118 elements have a measured value.-223.2 – 348.6 kJ/mol

Highest

  1. 1Cl Chlorine348.6
  2. 2F Fluorine328.2
  3. 3Br Bromine324.5
  4. 4I Iodine295.2
  5. 5At Astatine233.0

Lowest

  1. 1No Nobelium-223.2
  2. 2Bk Berkelium-165.2
  3. 3Ne Neon-116.0
  4. 4Cf Californium-97.3
  5. 5Ar Argon-96.0

9 elements have no measured value for this property, so they are left out of the plot rather than drawn as zero. Almost all of them are synthetic elements that have never existed in weighable quantities.

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