Halogens have maximum negative electron gain enthalpy in the respective periods of the periodic table. Why?

Halogens have maximum negative electron gain enthalpy in the respectiv

1.	Halogens have maximum negative electron gain enthalpy in the respective periods of the periodic table. Why?
Answer» Halogens have the smallest size in their respective periods and therefore high effective nuclear charge. As a consequence, they readily accept one electron to acquire noble gas electronic configuration.