In the context of periodic properties, the ability of an atom to attract electrons when it is chemically bonded to another atom is known as __________.

The ability of an atom to attract electrons when it is chemically bonded to another atom is called electronegativity. This property measures how strongly an atom pulls shared electrons toward itself in a chemical bond. Electronegativity values rise from left to right across a period and fall down a group. For example, fluorine, with a high electronegativity, pulls electrons strongly in a F–H bond, while sodium, with a low value, pulls them weakly. This difference in pulling power influences bond type and chemical behavior.