Why electronegativity value of zn is higher than expected?
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It is indeed a deviation from the trend for electronegativity. Elements tend to become more electronegative in the direction toward the halogen group across the periodic table. Zinc is closer to the halogens than copper, but copper is slightly more electronegative than zinc.
The electronic configurations of copper and zinc are:
Copper: [Ar] 4s1 3d10
Zinc: [Ar] 4s2 3d10
To be filled, the 4s subshell of copper requires one more electron. That is a simple explanation of why copper is more electronegative than zinc. However, detailed explanations of the chemical properties of the d block elements can be quite complicated and there are several exceptions to the general rules.
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