Atomic properties of the periodic table.

Atomic and lonic Sizes

In an atom, the orbiting electrons may be best represented by an electron cloud. Since the electron
cloud of an atom has no definite limit, the size of an atom cannot be defined easily. However, using X-ray
and electron diffraction techniques, it is possible to determine the distance between covalently bonded
atoms. For example, the distance between the nuclei of iodine atoms in an iodine molecule is 0.206 nm;
so the atomic radius of an iodine atom can be taken to be 0.133 nm. Generally, the atomic radius is taken
to be one-half the distance of closest approach between the nuclei of atoms in the elemental substance.

Ions of elements are formed by electron loss or gain. Their sizes are different from the atomic sizes of
elements. Ionic sizes are given by ionic radii. They can be measured in a similar way as the atomic radii.

The ionic radius of a given compound is obtained by measuring the distance between the centre of one
ion and the centre of its nearest neighbor of opposite charge.

Atomic size across a period

The size of the atoms of elements in the same period decreases steadily as the atomic number increases.
When we move from one element to the next across a period, electrons are being added to the same
shell at about the same distance from the nucleus; simultaneously, protons are also being added to the
nucleus. Two forces are acting on these electrons. In heavier atoms, the larger nuclear charge would
exert a progressively stronger attraction upon the electrons around it and would tend to pull them
towards the nuclei. There will also be forces of mutual repulsion amongst the electrons as more
electrons are added.

Evidence shows that the nuclear attraction increases more rapidly across a period than the repulsive
forces between the electrons. As a result, the atomic radius decreases with increasing atomic number,
while the attractive force exerted by the nucleus on the outermost electrons of the atom increases
across a period. Thus, the elements become progressively more electronegative from left to right.

Atomic size down a group

There is an increase in atomic radius as the atomic number increases down a given group. In this case,
the increase in the attractive force exerted by the nucleus as its positive charge gets greater is more than
counterbalanced by the additional space taken up by the extra shell of electrons added in each period.
Thus, the elements of any one group become decreasingly electronegative with increasing atomic
number, i.e. as we go down the group.

Ionic size

A study of the variation of 10nIc radii with atomic numbers shows that

•
the ionic radii of positive ions are smaller than the corresponding atomic radii (a positive ion is formed
by removing electrons from the outermost shell, making it smaller);

the ionic radii of negative ions are greater than the corresponding atomic radii (a negative ion is formed
by adding electrons to the outermost shell, making it bigger);

in a group of ions having the same number of electrons, the ionic radius decreases as the atomic number
increases (as the nuclear charge increases, the electron cloud contracts as it is pulled more effectively
towards the nucleus by an increasing positive charge).

Teacher explains ionization energy.

Ionization energy

This is the energy required to

remove a valence electron from an atom of the element to form an ion. Generally, there is a tendency
for

ionization energies to increase across a period and decrease down a group.

Ionization Energy is The first ionization energy of an element is the amount of energy required to remove
one electron from each atom in a mole of gaseous atoms, producing one mole of gaseous ions with a
positive charge.

Within a period, the first ionization energy tends to increase as atomic number increases. The ionization
energy of an atom is affected by

• the distance of the outermost electron from the nucleus;

•the size of the positive nuclear charge; and

• the screening effect of the inner electrons.

Teacher explains electron affinity

Electron Affinity

Ionization energy deals with the loss of electrons, while electron affinity deals with the gain of electrons.

Electron affinity is the energy released when a gaseous atom gains an electron to form a gaseous
negative ion.

Generally, electron affinity increases across the period from left to right (except the noble gases which
have stable electronic configurations, and have no tendency to accept electrons. They have zero electron
(affinity).

Electron affinity increases with decrease of atomic radii across the period, and decreases with the
increase of atomic radii down the group.