Question

periodic trends practice problems: atomic radius

1. define atomic radius.
2. rank the following elements by increasing atomic radius: carbon, aluminum, oxygen, potassium.
3. rank the following elements by increasing atomic radius: fluorine, beryllium, oxygen, lithium.
4. rank the following elements by increasing atomic radius: carbon, lead, germanium, tin.
5. rank the following elements by increasing atomic radius: silver, niobium, xenon, rubidium.
6. rank the following elements by increasing atomic radius: cesium, hydrogen, sodium, potassium.
7. rank the following elements by decreasing atomic radius: strontium, calcium, radium, beryllium.
8. rank the following elements by decreasing atomic radius: antimony, indium, xenon, zirconium
9. rank the following elements by decreasing atomic radius: barium, mercury, tungsten, polonium
10. rank the following elements by decreasing atomic radius: boron, thallium, gallium, indium

Explanation:

1. Atomic radius is the distance from the nucleus of an atom to its outermost electron shell.

2 - 10. Atomic radius trends: In a period (horizontal row), atomic radius generally decreases from left to right due to increasing nuclear charge attracting electrons more strongly. In a group (vertical column), atomic radius generally increases from top to bottom as the number of electron - shells increases. Using these trends, we can rank the elements.

• 2. Oxygen < Carbon < Aluminum < Potassium
• 3. Fluorine < Oxygen < Beryllium < Lithium
• 4. Carbon < Germanium < Tin < Lead
• 5. Xenon < Silver < Niobium < Rubidium
• 6. Hydrogen < Sodium < Potassium < Cesium
• 7. Beryllium < Calcium < Strontium < Radium
• 8. Xenon < Antimony < Indium < Zirconium
• 9. Mercury < Polonium < Tungsten < Barium
• 10. Boron < Gallium < Indium < Thallium

Answer:

1. The distance from the nucleus of an atom to its outermost electron shell.
2. Oxygen, Carbon, Aluminum, Potassium
3. Fluorine, Oxygen, Beryllium, Lithium
4. Carbon, Germanium, Tin, Lead
5. Xenon, Silver, Niobium, Rubidium
6. Hydrogen, Sodium, Potassium, Cesium
7. Beryllium, Calcium, Strontium, Radium
8. Xenon, Antimony, Indium, Zirconium
9. Mercury, Polonium, Tungsten, Barium
10. Boron, Gallium, Indium, Thallium