Describe and explain the trend in atomic radii across the periodic table
Atomic radii decreases in size, moving from left to right in the periodic table.
This is because atoms on the right hand side of a period have a larger number of protons. So, there is a greater positive charge for atoms on the right hand side, like Neon with which to attract negative electrons. This causes the electrons to be pulled in with more force towards the nucleus, decreasing the radius.
Related Chemistry A Level answers
All answers ▸What is the significance of a reactant being zero, first, or second order when calculating the rate of a reaction?
Calculate the mass of sodium amide needed to obtain 550 g of sodium azide, assuming there is a 95.0% yield of sodium azide. Give your answer to 3 significant figures.
Why does ionisation energy increase across a period?
State the element in period 3 that has the highest melting point and explain your answer.