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Ch.2 Atoms and the Periodic Table
McMurry - Fundamentals of GOB 8th Edition
McMurry8th EditionFundamentals of GOBISBN: 9780134015187Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 2, Problem 98

Look again at the trends illustrated in Figures 2.3 and 2.4.
a. How do the peaks/valleys correlate with locations in the periodic table?
b. Are there other chemical properties that also exhibit periodic trends? What are they?
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Step 1: Observe the graph provided, which shows the trend of electronegativity as a function of atomic number (Z). Peaks in the graph correspond to elements with high electronegativity, such as fluorine, oxygen, and nitrogen, which are located in the upper right corner of the periodic table. Valleys correspond to elements with low electronegativity, such as alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, located in the leftmost columns of the periodic table.
Step 2: Correlate the peaks and valleys with periodic table locations. Peaks generally align with nonmetals in Groups 15-17, while valleys align with metals in Groups 1-2. This reflects the periodic trend of electronegativity increasing across a period (left to right) and decreasing down a group (top to bottom).
Step 3: Identify other chemical properties that exhibit periodic trends. Examples include atomic radius, ionization energy, electron affinity, and metallic character. These properties also vary predictably across periods and groups in the periodic table.
Step 4: Explain the periodic trends of these properties. For instance, atomic radius decreases across a period due to increasing nuclear charge pulling electrons closer, and it increases down a group due to the addition of electron shells. Ionization energy and electron affinity generally increase across a period and decrease down a group, while metallic character decreases across a period and increases down a group.
Step 5: Relate these trends to the underlying principles of atomic structure, such as effective nuclear charge, electron shielding, and the arrangement of electrons in shells and subshells. These principles help explain why elements exhibit periodic trends in their chemical and physical properties.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Periodic Trends

Periodic trends refer to the predictable patterns observed in the properties of elements as one moves across or down the periodic table. These trends include variations in atomic radius, ionization energy, electronegativity, and electron affinity, which are influenced by the arrangement of electrons and the effective nuclear charge experienced by those electrons.
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Electronegativity

Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract and hold onto electrons when forming chemical bonds. It typically increases across a period from left to right due to increasing nuclear charge and decreases down a group as the distance between the nucleus and valence electrons increases, reducing the nucleus's pull on the electrons.
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Correlation with the Periodic Table

The correlation of peaks and valleys in trends like electronegativity with the periodic table reflects the underlying electronic structure of the elements. For instance, elements in the same group exhibit similar electronegativity values, while those in the same period show a general increase in electronegativity, highlighting the influence of atomic structure on chemical behavior.
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