Question

Which has the more negative electron affinity, the oxygen atom or the ${\mathit{O}}^{\mathbf{-}}$? Explain your answer.

Short answer

Answer

The negative electron affinity of oxygen is more than the ${\mathrm{O}}^{-}$.

Step-by-step solution

Definition of electron affinity.

The ability of the molecule to acquire an electron is known as the electron affinity of the molecule.The electron affinity increments across a period from left to right and diminishes moving down to a group in the periodic table.

Determine which atom has more negative electron affinity.

When the value of electron affinity is negative, we have exothermic electron affinity while when the value of electron affinity is positive, we have endothermic electron affinity. The value of exothermic electron affinity is inversely proportional to the electron density.

The density of $O^{\mathit{-}}$is greater than oxygen therefore the $O^{\mathit{-}}$has lesser negative electron affinity than the oxygen

Hence oxygen atom has more negative electron affinity.