Science, Tech, Math › Science Learn Which Element Has the Lowest Electronegativity Value Two Elements Can Claim the Lowest Electronegativity Print This diagram of a francium atom shows the electron shell. Francium has the lowest electronegativity of any element. Greg Robson,Creative Commonns License Science Chemistry Periodic Table Basics Chemical Laws Molecules Projects & Experiments Scientific Method Biochemistry Physical Chemistry Medical Chemistry Chemistry In Everyday Life Famous Chemists Activities for Kids Abbreviations & Acronyms Biology Physics Geology Astronomy Weather & Climate By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Chemistry Expert Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on September 29, 2022 Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract electrons to form a chemical bond. High electronegativity reflects a high capacity to bond electrons, while low electronegativity indicates low ability to attract electrons. Electronegativity increases moving from the bottom left-hand corner of the periodic table toward the upper right-hand corner. The element with the lowest electronegativity value is francium, which has an electronegativity of 0.7. This value uses the Pauling scale to measure electronegativity. The Allen scale assigns the lowest electronegativity to cesium, with a value of 0.659. Francium has an electronegativity of 0.67 on that scale. So, while the Allen scale is less common, it gives the element with lowest electronegativity as cesium. More About Electronegativity The element with the highest electronegativity is fluorine, which has an electronegativity of 3.98 on the Pauling Electronegativity Scale and a valence of 1. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Learn Which Element Has the Lowest Electronegativity Value." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/lowest-electronegativity-element-608797. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2023, April 5). Learn Which Element Has the Lowest Electronegativity Value. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/lowest-electronegativity-element-608797 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Learn Which Element Has the Lowest Electronegativity Value." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/lowest-electronegativity-element-608797 (accessed April 26, 2024). copy citation