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Periodicity

Groups I II III IV V VI VII VIII

Period 2 2s 2s 2s 2p 2s 2p 2s 2p 2s 2p 2s 2p 2s22p6
1 2 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 4 2 5

Period 3 3s1 3s2 3s23p1 3s23p2 3s23p3 3s23p4 3s23p5 3s23p6

Definition: Periodicity is the repetition of physical and chemical properties across periods
of the Periodic Table.
Definition: Periodic trends are repeating patterns of properties across periods of the
Periodic Table.
Period 2 Li Be B C N O F
Element Metal Metalloid Non-metal
type
Strong metallic Strong covalent bonds between atoms
Strong covalent bonds
Bonding bonds between and weak VDW forces between
between atoms
atoms molecules
Structure Giant metallic Giant covalent Simple molecular
Period 3 Na Mg Al Si P S Cl
Element
Metal Metalloid Non-metal
type
Strong
covalent Strong covalent bonds between atoms
Strong metallic bonds
Bonding bonds and weak VDW forces between
between atoms
between molecules
atoms
Structure Giant metallic Giant Simple molecular
covalent

14.2 Periodicity of physical properties within the Periodic Table

Properties such as atomic size (atomic radius), ionisation energy, melting and boiling points
etc change from one element to the other as one goes down a group or move across a period.
(a) Atomic radius: Atomic radius decreases across the period from left to right because
across the period from left to right, due to the fact that nuclear charge increases
progressively by one unit, additional electrons fill the same valence shell, shielding
effect to remain roughly constant. Therefore the pull of valence electrons towards the
nucleus by increasing effective nuclear charge results to a decrease in atomic size. From
group VII to group VIII, there is rather a drastic increase in atomic size because noble
gas atoms do not form covalent bonds with one another. So the radius measured for a
noble gas atom is a van der waals radius which bigger than a covalent radius. Atomic
size increases down the group due to increase in number of shells and shielding effect. A
graph of variation of atomic size across period 3 is shown below. F
Atomic Ar
size/nm Na
Cl
Mg
Al
Si
P S
Cl
Atomic number Br

Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar

Act: Sketch a graph to show the variation of atomic radius

(i) across period 2 and explain the shape of the graph.
(ii) Down group VIII and explain the shape of the graph.

THE NEN SERIES A-Level chemistry notes 2013-2014 school year prepared by Nkemzi E.N