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How Easily Do Atoms Become Ions?

● The periodic table arranges the over 100 elements or families with closely
related properties. Understanding the periodic table helps us to make many
correlations of the chemical and physical properties of the elements and their
compounds.
● Elements with similar properties are arranged in vertical columns called groups
or families. Groups are generally numbered using Roman numerals followed by an
A or a B.
● In science, regularities often become apparent by comparing properties in
graphical form.
● In this activity you will examine trends in the periodic table by graphing the
values for first ionization energy, atomic radius, and electronegativity as a
function of atomic number.

Materials Required:

Computer
Printer
Paper/Pen

Method:

1. Follow the instructions in the handout “Atomic Trends: Graphing Instructions”

2. Create three graphs: a) First Ionization energy vs. atomic number

b) Atomic radius vs. atomic number
c) Electronegativity vs. atomic number
Some Periodic Properties for the First Forty Elements
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Element Atomic Atomic First Ionization

Number Radius (pm) Energy (MJ•mol-1)
hydrogen 1 32 1.31
helium 2 93 2.37
lithium 3 155 0.52
beryllium 4 112 0.90
boron 5 98 0.80
carbon 6 91 1.09
nitrogen 7 92 1.40
oxygen 8 73 1.31
fluorine 9 72 1.68
neon 10 71 2.08
sodium 11 190 0.50
magnesium 12 160 0.74
aluminum 13 143 0.58
silicon 14 132 0.79
phosphorus 15 128 1.01
sulphur 16 127 1.00
chlorine 17 99 1.25
Increasing Atomic argon 18 98 1.52
Radii Within
A Group potassium 19 235 0.42
calcium 20 197 0.59
scandium 21 162 0.63
titanium 22 147 0.66
vanadium 23 134 0.65
chromium 24 130 0.65
manganese 25 135 0.72
*Note* You will find iron 26 126 0.76
values for
electronegativity on pg. cobalt 27 125 0.76
632 of your text nickel 28 124 0.74
copper 29 128 0.75
zinc 30 138 0.91
gallium 31 141 0.58
germanium 32 137 0.76
arsenic 33 139 0.95
selenium 34 140 0.94
bromine 35 114 1.14
krypton 36 112 1.35
rubidium 37 248 0.40
strontium 38 215 0.55
yttrium 39 178 0.62
zirconium 40 160 0.66
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Atomic Trends – Graphing Instructions

1. Log onto the computer using your username and

password (your student ID).

2. Click on the START menu, then PROGRAM.

Choose MICROSOFT OFFICE TOOLS, then
MICROSOFT EXCEL.

3. You must now enter the data onto the spread sheet. You must first click on
the box A1. Enter the ATOMIC NUMBER into this column, starting on A1.
Enter ATOMIC RADII in column B, starting at B1. The data is found in the
attached handout.

4. When you have finished entering the data you must HIGHLIGHT this data.
This is achieved by clicking on A1 with the left mouse button and dragging
the mouse until all of your data is highlighted. The left mouse button must
be held down the entire time. The 1st box you clicked on will remain white.

5. You must now go to the toolbar at the top of the screen and click on
INSERT, then CHART. You can also achieve the same result by finding the
graph icon on the upper tool bar.

6. Choose an XY (SCATTER) GRAPH, then DATA POINTS CONNECTED BY

LINES. Click on NEXT.

7. Examine the graph that appears. If this graph appears to be a correct set-
up for the graph, press NEXT and continue with #9. If the wrong data is on
the X-axis, click SERIES and make changes. Ask your teacher for help if
required.

8. We now want to spruce up and personalize your graph.

9. Click on TITLES. Give your chart an appropriate title. Label the X and Y
axis with correct labels and units.

10. Click on GRIDLINES to add more lines.

11. Click on LEGEND. Remove an unwanted legend if it is appearing.

DATA LABELS are not required on this graph. Click on NEXT.
 12. Choose to make your graph a new sheet and press FINISH.

13. You should now have a finished graph but changes can still be made by using
the right mouse button and clicking on the aspect of the graph you might like
to alter. Investigate any format menus that appear.

14. Click on FILE. View a PRINT PREVIEW. We will be referring to this graph
in class. TALK TO YOUR TEACHER BEFORE PROCEEDING. This way, if
an item is missing from your graph you will not waste paper or ink. PRINT if
your graph is correct.

15. You must now complete two more graphs using:

a) atomic numbers and first ionization energies
b) atomic numbers and electronegativity

First Ionization Energy (MJ-mol -1) vs. Atomic Number

(The title would’nt copy properly not sure sorry.)
 Periodic Trends

Complete the following for each of the graphs.

Answer questions 3 and 4 on the back side of the page.

1. Draw vertical lines through the graph, to indicate the end of each period.
 2. Write in the symbols of the alkali metals and the noble gases on each graph.

3. Define the quantity being graphed:

Atomic radii, first ionization energy, and electronegativity

The atomic radius grows as the shell level increases as we travel down a group. The
amount of energy required to remove an electron from an atom is known as the
ionization energy. An atom's electronegativity refers to its ability to attract
electrons.

4. Note any patterns that you see across the periods and down groups.

Some patterns that I notice across the periodic table and down groups are the
atomic radius is changing constantly. There is no true increase or decrease
throughout the graph. In groups 2 and three the atomic radius decreases from left
to right. Lithium starts at the greatest atomic radius and then it goes all the way
down to Neon while decreasing. The groups are all decreasing going from left to
right. Down groups, I see that, the atomic radius increases. Hydrogen has an atomic
radius of 32 and lithium has an atomic radius of 155. It is constantly going up down
the groups.

When you are finished, complete the following questions.

These are to be finished by ____________________

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Questions and Conclusions

1. What is happening to the nucleus and the orbitals as you move across the
periodic table?

As you move across the periodic table, the nucleus increases in positive charge
which means electrons are being sucked in towards the nucleus. Therefore, the
radius decreases in size. The atomic radius decreases from left to right as one
proton is added which makes the nucleus grow.

2. Draw Bohr-Rutherford diagrams for helium, neon, and argon. What do you
notice about the energy level of each? Explain why these elements have
such high ionization energies.

I notice that each energy level has a full valence shell. Their outermost orbit has a
full set of electrons. Helium has 2 on its outermost shell, Neon 8 and Argon 8. All three of
these elements are gases. These elements are stable and in most cases do not form with
other elements because their outermost shell is full. These elements have high ionization
energies as noble gases are very attractive to the nucleus meaning it is hard to remove
these electrons as they are attracted to the nucleus very tightly.

3. Which group contains elements which are hardest to ionize?

The group that contains elements that are the hardest to ionize are the noble gases
in Group 18. This is because of the high energy nucleus attraction which makes the
electrons hard to remove.

4. Which element of the three has the largest atomic radius? Why?
a) B, Li, or F b) K, Li, or Na

A. The element that has the largest atomic radius is Lithium because its nucleus has
the lowest positive charge of the three elements, which causes the electrons to be
furthest away from it.

B. The element that has the largest atomic radius is K as it has more shells leading to
more electrons being further away from the nucleus.

5. Which element loses electrons most readily? Why?

a) B, Li, or F b) K, Li, or Na

A. The element that loses electrons readily is Lithium because the electrons are not as
strongly attracted to the nucleus as the other elements. Since they are the
furthest away, the loose electrons are the most readily.

B. The element that loses electrons readily is K because there are more energy levels
than the other three elements meaning electrons on the outside are not as strongly
attracted to the nucleus causing Potassium to lose electrons readily.
 6. How many electrons would the following elements tend to lose or gain?
State whether the element gains or loses electrons. Draw the symbol for
each.

Mg Cl N Al S Ar

Magnesium would tend to lose electrons. It tends to lose 2 electrons. Mg or Mg2+

Chlorine would tend to gain electrons. It tends to gain 1 electron. Cl or Cl1-
Nitrogen would tend to gain electrons. It tends to gain 3 electrons. N or N3-
Aluminum would tend to lose electrons. It tends to lose 3 electrons. Al or Al3+
Sulfur would tend to gain electrons. It would tend to gain 2 electrons. S or S2-
Argon would tend to not lose or gain any electrons. This is because its outermost shell is
full. Ar

7. Which element would have the highest ionization energy?

a) Ca, Be, or Mg b) B, Al, or Ga

A. The element that has the highest ionization energy is Be as it is the smallest atom
of the three. When the atom is smaller, it is stronger meaning the electrons are
attached to the nucleus and more energy is needed to move it.

B. The element that has the highest ionization energy is B or Boron because it is the
smallest atom of the three in the group. The electrons would be strongly attracted
to the nucleus, requiring more energy to move it.