Periodic Trends

(Atomic Structure II)

Name: Kenneth Kaunda
Phone: 0955 921295
Room: 11, Chemistry Dept.
Topics: Atomic Structure and
Chemical Bonding
Books: Zumdhal Chemistry 9th Ed
 Periodic Trends
• One of the grand outcomes of the quantum
mechanical model of the atom was establishment
of periodicity.
• Periodicity refers to patterns of the elements and
how they are organised in the periodic table.
• These patterns deal with both physical and chemical
properties of atoms.
• The first periodic trend (pattern) we will examine is
‘electron configuration’.
 Periodic Trends
Electron Configuration of an Atom answers the
following questions about an atoms electrons:
(1). What type of atomic orbitals are involved? s, p, d, f
(2). How many electrons are in each orbital?
Electron configuration is written in the following format
which is related to quantum numbers:
n l e 1, 2, 3 etc = # of electrons in that orbital
principal quantum no. angular momentum q. no. represented by s, p, d, f

We use periodic table to help us determine an atoms

electron configuration.
Order in which orbitals are filled with electrons is called
 Periodic Trends
• Examples on how to use aufbau principle:

• H 1s1 (innermost electrons) (outermost electrons)

• He 1s2 core electronsvalence electrons

• Li 1s22s1 or [He] 2s1

• O 1s22s22p4 or [He] 2s22p4
• Cl 1s22s22p63s23p5 or [Ne] 3s23p5
 Periodic Trends
• For main groups elements, no. of valence electrons =
group no.
• e.g. For Li no. of valence electrons = 1 and it is in group 1
of the PT.
• Third format for representing electron configuration is box
notation, in which orbital box diagrams are a scheme used
to show the filling of atomic orbitals.
• Two rules are followed. The are:
• Pauli exclusion Principle:- an atomic orbital can hold a
maximum of 2 electrons, which must have opposite spins
• Hund’s Rule:- a degenerate set of orbitals is filled singly
first with parallel spins, then a second electron can be
 Periodic Trends
e.g. Cl: e- config = 1s22s22p63s23p5
note: Orbital No. of orbitals per n (energy level)
s 1
p 3 when applicable
d 5
f 7

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5

Exceptions to the Aufbau Primnciple:
Cr e- config expected [Ar]4s23d4 actual [Ar]4s13d5
Cu e- config expected [Ar]4s23d4 actual [Ar]4s13d5
Exceptions are due to added satbility of half-filled and
completely-filled orbitals.
 Periodic Trends
e- config of monoatomic ions:
remove valence (outermost) e-s 1st.
Al: 1s22s22p63s23p1 : Al loses 3e-s to become Al³⁺
Al³⁺: 1s22s22p6 1st to be removed
then follows from here

Cl: 1s22s22p63s23p5 Cl gains 1e- to become Cl⁻

Cl⁻: 1s22s22p63s23p6
add to valence (outermost) orbital

Note: Both ions have ended up with a filled p-orbital, p 6

which is noble gas e- config. Thus elements react to form
covalent compounds or ions in order to achieve octet, 8
e-s in their valence (outermost) orbitals.
 Periodic Trends
Atomic Radii:- is the distance an atom’s valence e-s are
from its nucleus. It’s an indicator of atomic size.
In a group of the periodic table, atomic size increases
down the group, i.e. as n increases, size of atomic
orbital also increases.
In a period (Periodic Table), atomic size decreases from
left to right across a period. Within a period, n doesn’t
change, maximum size of the atom is constant. As an
element gains more protons across a period, its
nuclear charge increases, exerting greater ‘pull’ on
outermost e-s, resulting in orbital contraction, and
thus, atomic size reduction.
 Periodic Trends
Ionic Radii:
For an ion, e-s are either removed or added to the valence
(outermost) orbitals.
Anions are usually larger than the parent atom because added es
are repelled by the already present e-s, e.g. atomic size of O²⁻ >
O
Cations are typically smaller than the parent atom because e-s in
the valence (outermost ) orbital are removed, resulting in greater
nuclear pull on the remaining e-s, e.g. atomic size of Al³⁺ < Al.
For isoelectronic (have same no. of e-s) species, size is dictated by
nuclear charge. e.g. N³⁻ & O²⁻
Atomic no. Z for N = 7 i.e. has 7 protons
Atomic no. Z for O = 8 i.e. has 8 protons. Thus, N³⁻ > O²⁻
 Periodic Trends
Ionisation energy (IE):-
is energy required to remove a valence e- from an
atom in gas phase. Thus removal of an e- is an
endothermic process. Thus, IEs > 0. Unit is kJ/mol.
IE is opposite to atomic size. Smaller atoms have
larger IEs and vice versa. F is the smallest atom, thus
has the largest IE.
1st IE is energy required to remove the 1st valence e-
from the outermost (valence) orbital of at atom, e.g.
Ca → Ca⁺ + e- Calcium’s 1st IE
2nd ,3rd , 4th IEs etc refer to subsequent removal of e-s
from a cation:
⁺ ⁺ - nd
 Periodic Trends
Electron Affinity:
is energy released when an e- is added to an atom in
gas phase. Thus addition of e-s is an exothermic
process, e.g. O + e- → O⁻ EAs < 0. Unit is kJ/mol.
O⁻ + e- → O²⁻
EA parallels IE. Nonmetals, because they are more apt
to gain e-s to form anions have largest EAs.

increasing IE and EA

increasing atomic size

 Periodic Trends
• A consequence of the quantum mechanical model
of the atom was the establishment of periodic
trends.
• The periodic table is a very organised and
informative concerning an element’s physical and
chemical properties.
• An atom’s electronic configuration is determined
using Aufbau principle.
• Orbital Box diagrams are drawn following Pauli
Exclusion Principle and Hund’s Rule.
 Periodic Trends
Examples lowest energy state neutral state

1. For each of the following, give ‘ground state’

electronic configuration and orbital box electronic
configurations:
Fe: [Ar]4s23d6
P: [Ar]3s23p3
2. For each of the following, circle the lement/ion
that has the larger indicated quality.
3. Ionisation energy Na or Li Li cos it’s smaller

4. Atomic size O or N N cos it has fewer protons

5. Atomic size O²⁻ or N³⁻ N cos it has fewer protons
³⁻