QUESTION #3

PART A

Atomic radii is the distance from the center of the nucleus to the boundary of the surrounding
shells of electrons.

As you begin to move across or down the periodic table, trends emerge that can help explain
radii change.

The energy levels increase as you move down a group as the number of electrons increases.
Each subsequent energy level is further from the nucleus than the last. Therefore, the atomic
radius increases as the group and energy levels increase.

Atomic radius decreases as you move across a period. As you go across a period electrons are
added to the same energy level. At the same time, protons are being added to the nucleus. The
concentration of more protons in the nucleus creates a ‘higher effective nuclear charge.’ In other
words, there is a stronger force of attraction pulling the electrons closer to the nucleus resulting
in a smaller atomic radius.

PART B

Ionic radius is the distance between the nucleus and the electron in the outermost shell of an ion.

As you move down a column or group, the ionic radius increases. This is because each row adds
a new electron shell. Ionic radius decreases moving from left to right across a row/ period. More
protons are added but the outer valence shell remains the same so the positively charged nucleus
in the electrons more tightly. But, for the non-metallic elements, the ionic radius increases
because there are more electrons than protons.

PART C

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from a neutral atom in its gaseous
phase.

The lower this energy is, the more readily the atom becomes a cation. Therefore, the higher this
energy is, the more unlikely it is the atom becomes a cation. One atom is a cation which is
smaller in size and the other is an anion which is larger in size. So, in order to account for the
difference we must get the total distance between two nuclei and divide the distance according to
atomic size.

The bigger the atomic size, the larger radius it will have.