Electronegativity Calculator
Select two elements to see their electronegativity values on the Pauling scale and the absolute difference between them, a rough indicator of bond polarity.
Last updated: September 26, 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is electronegativity?
It's a relative measure of how strongly an atom attracts the shared electrons in a chemical bond. It has no absolute units; the Pauling scale, used here, is defined comparatively based on bond energies.
Why does the order of the two elements not matter?
The calculator reports the absolute difference, Δχ = |χA − χB|, which is symmetric: comparing element A to B gives the same result as comparing B to A.
What do the polarity categories mean?
A difference below about 0.5 is often called mostly nonpolar covalent, between about 0.5 and 1.7 polar covalent, and above about 1.7 substantially ionic. These are commonly used rules of thumb, not precise physical cutoffs, and real bonds exist on a continuum.
Why do some elements show no value?
A few elements, mainly noble gases that rarely form conventional bonds, don't have a well-established Pauling electronegativity value in standard references, so this calculator reports that rather than inventing a number.
Is the Pauling scale the only electronegativity scale?
No, other scales exist (such as Mulliken or Allred-Rochow), and their numbers aren't directly interchangeable with Pauling values. This calculator uses Pauling-scale values throughout, consistently.
How does this relate to Bond Order?
Electronegativity difference is one factor influencing bond polarity, while bond order (from molecular orbital theory) is a separate measure related to bond strength and length. They describe different aspects of a chemical bond.