Explain why chlorine has a higher electron affinity than Fluorine? :
Cl has a higher electron affinity than F. This is due to the small size of fluorine. As a result of its very small size the inter-electronic repulsions in relatively compact 2p-subshell of a chlorine atom. On comparing chloride ion with fluoride ion we find that electron density per unit volume in fluoride ion (F–) is more than in chloride (Cl–) ion. This means that the coming election in the fluorine atom finds less attraction than in the chlorine atom. Consequently, the electron affinity of chlorine is higher than that of fluorine.
