GRAPHING PERIODIC TRENDS

The Periodic Table is arranged according to the Periodic Law. The Periodic Law states that when elements are arranged
in order of increasing atomic number, their physical and chemical properties show a periodic pattern.

Define the following terms:

Atomic radius- The distance of an atoms nucleus to the outermost electron

First ionization energy- The energy needed to remove the outermost, or highest energy, electron from a neutral atom in gas phase

Electron Affinity- The change of energy of a neutral atom when an electron is added to the atom to form a negative ion

Electronegativity- The ability of an atom to attract shared electrons in a covalent bond

Graph 1 – Atomic Radius as a function of Atomic Number

A. Create a graph of the atomic radius as a function of atomic number. Plot atomic number on the X axis and atomic radius on the
Y axis. Remember to label the axes!
B. Use a colored pen, pencil or highlighter to trace over the element’s period (horizontal row on the periodic table). For example:
use GREEN to trace for all of the elements in row 1, then use YELLOW to trace for all of the elements in row 2, then use ORANGE
to trace for all the elements in row 3, then use BLUE to trace for all the elements in row 4.

Symbol Atomic Atomic

Number Radius(pm)
H 1 37
He 2 50
Li 3 123
Be 4 89
B 5 80
C 6 77
N 7 70
O 8 66
F 9 64
Ne 10 67
Na 11 157
Mg 12 136
Al 13 125
Si 14 117
P 15 110
S 16 104
Cl 17 99
Ar 18 98
K 19 203
Ca 20 174 30
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1. Describe the trend in atomic radius as the atomic number increases across a period.

The atomic radius went down across periods or rows.

2. Describe the trend in atomic radius as the atomic number increases down a group.

The atomic raduis increases whenever the atomic number increases down a group

3. What is happening to the number of protons and the number of energy levels as you move across the periodic table from
left to right? How and why does this affect atomic radius.
The number of protons and energy levels increase the more right you go, this affects atomic raduis because the number of electrons
increases with the energy level which means the farther out the outermost electrons are.
 Graph 2 – First Ionization Energy as a function of Atomic Number
A. Create a graph of the ionization energy as a function of atomic number. Plot atomic number on the X axis and ionization energy
on the Y axis. Remember to label the axes!
B. Use a colored pen, pencil or highlighter to trace over the element’s period (horizontal row on the periodic table). For example:
use GREEN to trace for all of the elements in row 1, then use YELLOW to trace for all of the elements in row 2, then use ORANGE
to trace for all the elements in row 3, then use BLUE to trace for all the elements in row 4.

Symbol Atomic First Ionization

Number Energy(kJ/mol)
H 1 314
He 2 688
Li 3 124
Be 4 215
B 5 191
C 6 260
N 7 335
O 8 314
F 9 402
Ne 10 497
Na 11 119
Mg 12 176
Al 13 138
Si 14 188
P 15 242
S 16 239
Cl 17 299
Ar 18 363
K 19 100
Ca 20 141 50
1

4. Describe the trend in ionization energy as the atomic number increases across a period.

The ionization energy goes up as the atomic number increases across a period

5. Describe the trend in ionization energy as the atomic number increases down a group.

The ionization energy goes down as the atomic number increases down a group

6. What happens to the number of energy levels as you move down a column on the periodic table. How and why does this effect
ionization energy?
The number of energy levels increases so there is a greater distance between the nucleus and the outermost orbit
electron.
7. What happens to the effective nuclear charge as you move across a period on the periodic table? How does this effect
ionization energy and electronegativity?

8. Which group contains elements which are easiest to ionize? Explain why this is the case.

9. Explain why the third ionization energy of Ca would be much higher than the 1st and 2nd ionization energy Ca
 Graph 3 – Electron Affinity as a function of Atomic Number
A. Create a graph of the electron affinity as a function of atomic number. Plot atomic number on the X axis and electron affinity on
the Y axis. Remember to label the axes!
B. Use a colored pen, pencil or highlighter to trace over the element’s period (horizontal row on the periodic table). For example:
use GREEN to trace for all of the elements in row 1, then use YELLOW to trace for all of the elements in row 2, then use ORANGE
to trace for all the elements in row 3, then use BLUE to trace for all the elements in row 4.

Symbol Atomic Electron Affinity

Number (kJ/mol)
H 1 73
He 2 0
Li 3 60
Be 4 0
B 5 27
C 6 154
N 7 7
O 8 141
F 9 328
Ne 10 0
Na 11 53
Mg 12 0
Al 13 43
Si 14 134
P 15 72
S 16 200
Cl 17 349
Ar 18 0
K 19 48
Ca 20 2

10. Describe the trend in electron affinity as the atomic number increases across a period.

11. Describe the trend in electron affinity as the atomic number increases down a group.
 Graph 4 – Electronegativity as a function of Atomic Number
A. Create a graph of the electronegativity as a function of atomic number. Plot atomic number on the X axis and electronegativity
on the Y axis. Remember to label the axes!
B. Use a colored pen, pencil or highlighter to trace over the element’s period (horizontal row on the periodic table). For example:
use GREEN to trace for all of the elements in row 1, then use YELLOW to trace for all of the elements in row 2, then use ORANGE
to trace for all the elements in row 3, then use BLUE to trace for all the elements in row 4.

Symbol Atomic Electronegativity

Number
H 1 2.1
He 2 0
Li 3 1.0
Be 4 1.5
B 5 2.0
C 6 2.5
N 7 3.0
O 8 3.5
F 9 4.0
Ne 10 0
Na 11 0.9
Mg 12 2.0
Al 13 1.5
Si 14 1.8
P 15 2.1
S 16 2.5
Cl 17 3.0
Ar 18 0
K 19 0.8
Ca 20 1.0

12. Describe the trend in electronegativity as the atomic number increases across a period.

13. Describe the trend in electronegativity as the atomic number increases down a group.

14. Why do you think the electronegativity of He, Ne and Ar is 0?

15. Which element would have the highest electronegativity in each set below? Explain why this is.

a) Ca, Be or Mg b) B, Li, or F
 16. Write (or type) the electron configuration of each atom (high-light the valence electrons) and it’s corresponding ion below each
sketch (atomic radii are given in angstroms (1 x 10-10 M).

17. Over the blank periodic table provided, write or type the number of valence electrons and the expected ion charge for the
transition metal block and for the families to the left and right of the transition metals (the alkali metals have been done as an
example).

Note: Carbon and boron do not normally form ions and are thus blanked-out

Valence Electron → 1 e-

Ionic Charge → 1+