Multiple Choice
As you move down a group in the periodic table, how does the atomic radius of the elements change?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
Periodic Trend: Atomic Radius
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Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first videoMultiple Choice
Which of the following properties decreases from left to right across a period in the periodic table?
A
Effective nuclear charge
B
Electronegativity
C
Ionization energy
D
Atomic radius
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the trend of each property across a period in the periodic table. From left to right, the number of protons in the nucleus increases, which affects these properties.
Effective nuclear charge (Z_eff) generally increases from left to right because the increasing number of protons attracts electrons more strongly, despite some shielding.
Electronegativity tends to increase from left to right as atoms more strongly attract electrons to themselves in a bond due to higher effective nuclear charge.
Ionization energy also increases from left to right because electrons are held more tightly by the nucleus, making it harder to remove an electron.
Atomic radius decreases from left to right because the increasing effective nuclear charge pulls the electron cloud closer to the nucleus, reducing the size of the atom.
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