Electron affinity is defined as what?

Electron affinity is defined as what?

• A. The energy required to remove an electron from the atom.
• B. The energy released when an atom accepts an electron.
• C. The energy released when an atom loses a proton.
• D. The energy required to ionize a gas.

Answer: (B)

Electron affinity is the energy change that occurs when a neutral gaseous atom gains an electron to form a negative ion. The standard description is the energy released when the atom accepts that extra electron. This contrasts with ionization energy, which is the energy required to remove an electron, and with processes involving changing protons or general gas ionization. The added electron is attracted to the nucleus and to the existing electron cloud, often leading to a more stable arrangement, which is why energy is released in this process for most elements.

Electron affinity is the energy change that occurs when a neutral gaseous atom gains an electron to form a negative ion. The standard description is the energy released when the atom accepts that extra electron. This contrasts with ionization energy, which is the energy required to remove an electron, and with processes involving changing protons or general gas ionization. The added electron is attracted to the nucleus and to the existing electron cloud, often leading to a more stable arrangement, which is why energy is released in this process for most elements.