Periodicity

In chemistry, periodicity refers to repeating trends in element properties on the periodic table. Basically, what
this means is if you drop down a row (period) on the table and move across it, elements follow the same trend
as other periods. Periodicity reflects Periodic Law. Periodic Law states that chemical and physical properties of
elements repeat in a predictable way when elements are arranged by increasing atomic number.

In essence, periodicity is the guiding principle behind the organization of the modern periodic table. Elements
within a group (column) display similar characteristics. The rows in the periodic table (the periods) reflect the
filling of electrons shells around the nucleus, so when a new row begins, the elements stack on top of each
other with similar properties.

Because of recurring trends, you can predict the properties and behavior of an element, even if it’s new. Chemists
can use periodicity to determine the likelihood of a chemical reaction occurring or chemical bonds forming. Early
on, scientists used gaps in the periodic table to know where elements should be and what their properties would
be.

Because of periodicity, you can tell from the periodic table that both sodium and lithium are highly reactive metals, with
an oxidation state of +1. Similarly, you know beryllium is less reactive than lithium, but still a metal. Periodicity allows
predictions for the behavior of elements that haven’t been synthesized in large enough amounts to study directly.
Chemists can tell oganesson (element 118) will have some properties of the elements above it on the table (the noble
gases). It probably won’t be as reactive as, for example, tennessine (element 117), which is a halogen.

Periodic Properties

Several element properties display periodicity. The key recurring trends are:

1. Electronegativity – is a measure of how readily an atom forms a chemical bond. Electronegativity increases
moving left to right across a period and decreases moving down a group. Or, you could say electropositivity
decreases moving left to right and increases moving down the periodic table.

2. Atomic Radius – This is half the distance between the middle of two atoms just touching each other. Atomic
radius decreases moving left to right across a period and increases moving down a group. Even though you’re
adding more electrons moving across a period, atoms don’t get bigger because they don’t get additional electron
shells. The increasing number of protons draws the electrons closer, shrinking the atom size. Moving down a
group, new electron shells get added and atom size increases.

3. Ionic Radius – I is the distance between ions of the atoms. It follows the same trend as atomic radius.
Although it might seem like increasing the number of protons and electrons in an atom would always increase
its size, the atom size doesn’t increase until a new electron shell is added. Atom and ion sizes shrink moving
across a period because the increasing positive charge of the nucleus pulls in the electron shell.

4. Ionization Energy – is the energy required to remove one electron from an atom or ion. It is a predictor
of reactivity and the ability to form chemical bonds. Ionization energy increases moving across a period and
decreases moving down a group. There are some exceptions, mainly due to Hund’s rule and electron
configuration.

5. Electron Affinity – This is a measure of readily an atom accepts an electron. Electron affinity increases
moving across a period and decreases moving down a group. Nonmetals usually have higher electron affinities
than metals. The noble gases are an exception to the trend since these elements have filled electron valence
shells and electron affinity values approaching zero. However, the behavior of the noble gases is periodic. In
other words, even though an element group might break a trend, the elements within the group display periodic
properties.

6. Metallic Character – Metallic character or metallicity describes properties of metals, such as luster,
conductivity, and high melting/boiling points. Also, metals readily accept electrons from nonmetals to form ionic
compounds. The most metallic element is francium (lower lefthand side of the periodic table), while the least
metallic element is fluorine (upper righthand side of the table).

Group Properties – Elements in a column belong to the same element group. Each group displays characteristic
properties. For example, halogens tend to be highly reactive nonmetals with a -1 oxidation state (valency), while noble
gases are nearly inert and exist as gases under standard conditions.