As you move down a group in the periodic table, how does electronegativity typically change?

As you move down a group in the periodic table, electronegativity typically decreases. This trend occurs due to the increasing distance between the nucleus and the valence electrons as additional electron shells are added. The larger atomic radius means that the outer electrons are further away from the nucleus, resulting in a weaker attraction to the nucleus for the incoming electrons, which is what electronegativity measures.

Furthermore, the effect of electron shielding also plays a crucial role. As more inner electron shells fill, they shield the outer valence electrons from the positive charge of the nucleus, diminishing the nucleus's ability to attract additional electrons. Consequently, elements lower in a group have lower electronegativity values, making them less likely to attract electrons in a chemical bond compared to elements higher in the group.