Periodic trends lecture notes

1. 1
Name:……………………………………………
Grade: ……………………………..
Subject: Chemistry
Date: …………………………………………
Chapter 6 : The Periodic Table and Periodic Law
SECTION 3 : Periodic Trends
 Many properties of the elements tend to change in a predictable way, known as a trend,
 A trend : is a predictable change in a particular direction.
 Why it is important? It help us to make prediction about chemical behavior of the
element.
 Trends in properties in a group or a period can be explained in terms of electron
configuration.
 Atomic Radius:
 The size of the atom tends to vary from substance to substance.
 For metals such as sodium, the atomic radius is defined as:
Half the distance betweenadjacentnuclei in a crystal of the element,
 For elements that commonly occuras molecules, such as many nonmetals, the atomic
radius is defined as :
It is half the distance from centre to centre of two like atoms that are bonded
together.

2. 2
 Trends within periods
 Atomic radius Decreasesas we move acrossa period , Why?
a) As we move across a period from left to right , one proton is added , so the nuclear
charge increases which pulls the outer electrons closertherefore the size of the
atomic radius decreases.
b) As we move across a period from left to right one electronis added to the same
energy level so the electron shielding has no effect.
 Trends within groups
 Atomic Radius Increases as we move down a group , Why?
a) As we move down a group from one element into another an extra energy level is
added which increases the size and radius of the atom.
b) Because of increasing electronshielding of the inner electrons down the group the
attraction force of the nucleus ( the pulling effect) remains constant .

3. 3

4. 4

5. 5
 Ionic Radius
 An ion : is an atom or a bonded group of atoms that has a positive or negative
charge
 When atoms lose electrons and form positively charged ions, they always become
smaller.
 The electron lostfrom the atom will almost always be a valence electron.
 The loss of a valence electron can leave a completely empty outer orbital, which
results in a smallerradius.
 The electrostatic repulsion between the now-fewer number of remaining electrons
decreases allowing these remaining electrons to be pulled closerto the positively
charged nucleus.
 When atoms gainelectrons and form negatively chargedions, they become larger.
 The addition of an electron to an atom increases the electrostatic repulsion between
the atom’s outer electrons, forcing them to move farther apart.
 The increased distance between the outer electrons results in a largerradius.
 As we move down a group : as the atomic radius increases usually the ionic radius
increases as well.
 As we move across a period : as the atomic radius decreasesfrom left to right the
ionic radius decreasesas well.

6. 6

7. 7
 Ionization Energy
 Ionization energy is defined as : the energyrequired to remove an electronfrom
a gaseousatom
 The energy required to remove the first outermost electron from an atom is called
the first ionization energy.
 Atoms with large ionization energy values are less likely to form positive ions.
 The group 1 metals have low ionization energies.
 Thus, group 1 metals (Li, Na, K, Rb) are likely to form positive ions.
 The group 18 elements (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe) have high ionization energies and are
unlikely to form ions.
 Removing more than one electron
 The amount of energy required to remove a second electron from a 1+ ion is called
the secondionization energy,
 The energy required for each successive ionization always increasesbecause atoms
hold onto their inner core electrons much more strongly than they hold onto their
valence electrons.

8. 8
 Ionization Energy Decreasesas we move down a group :
1. An extra energy level is added from one element into another.
a. The distance between the nucleus and the outer most electron increases.
b. The attraction force between them decreases.
c. Less energy is needed to remove the outermost electrons, less ionization
energy is needed.
2. The electronshielding increases (becausethe number of inner electrons increases
which reduce the attractionforce of the nucleus , so less ionization energy is
needed.
 Ionization energyincreases as we move across a period;
1. From one element to the next in the period the number of protons increase by
one .
2. The additional protonwill increase the attraction force of the nucleus to the
outermost electrons, so more ionization energy is needed to remove the
outermost electron .
3. Electronshielding remains constant across aperiod because the number of
inner electrons remain the same.
 Octet rule:
 The octet rule states that : atoms tend to gain, lose, orshare electrons in order to
acquire a full set of eight valence electrons
 Elements on the right side of the periodic table tend to gain electrons forming
negative ions in order to acquire the noble gas configuration
 Elements on the left side of the table tend to lose electrons and form positive ions in
order to acquire the noble gas configuration;

9. 9
 Electronegativity
 Electronegativity : is a measure of the ability of an atom in a chemical
compounds to attract electrons
 Electronegativity values are expressed in terms of a numerical value of 3.98 or less.
 The units of electronegativity are arbitrary units called Paulings,
 Fluorine is the most electronegative element, with a value of 3.98.
 Cesium and francium are the leastelectronegative elements, with values of 0.79
and 0.70, respectively.
 In a chemical bond, the atom with the greaterelectronegativity more strongly
attracts the bond’s electrons.
 Noble gases form very few compounds, so they do not have electronegativity
values.
 Electro negativitydecreases as wemovedown a group:
1. An extra energy level is added from one element into another.
a. The distance between the nucleus and the outer most electron
increases.
b. The attraction force between them decreases.
c. So the nucleus cannot attract the valence electrons easily i.e
less electro negativity.
2 .The electronshielding increases becausethe number of inner electrons increases
which reduce the attraction force of the nucleus .
 Electro negativity increasesas wemoveacross a period
1. As move across a period from left to right an extra proton is added to the nucleus
( the nuclear charge increases), So the nucleus can attract the electrons more
strongly.

10. 10
2. Electronshielding remains constant across a period because the number of
inner electrons remains the same.

11. 11
Section 3 Review Questions