Click Pause ( ). Elements can be classified as metals and nonmetals. Metals do not hold on to their valence electrons very tightly, while nonmetals hold their electrons tightly. Electron affinity is a measure of how tightly the valence electrons are held.
A. Try pulling an electron away from each atom. Based on this experiment, which atom is a metal?
Sodium Which is a nonmetal? Chlorine
B. Try moving an electron from the metal to the nonmetal. What happens?
Sodium lets go of its one electron.