VARIATION OF

ATOMIC RADII
DOWN THE
GROUP
NA ME: FA R A H A IDA B T A HMA DWA R DI
PRACTICUM: S1DP4
LECTURER: MRS SITI ADILAH BT SABARUDIN
 ATOMIC RADII
• The wave nature of electron makes it difficult to define exactly the size Or radii means,
of an atom or ion. Therefore, the size of an atom is measured indirectly.
• The variation or trend Of the change in atomic radius Is observed across the period or
down a group.
a) As we move down a group the atoms become larger
b) As we move across period the atoms become Smaller
FACTORS EFFECTING ATOMIC RADII

a)Effective nuclear charge

b)Shielding effect
 FACTORS EFFECTING ATOMIC RADII
Effective nuclear charge (zeff)
Actual nuclear charge(z) - Charge of inner orbital
Net positive charge of a valence electron experiences, as a result of partial screening of the
full nuclear charge by inner electrons.

Shielding effect
Also known as screening effect
a) It is caused by mutual repulsion of electrons for each other
b) There are shielding effect occurring between electrons of inner and outer orbitals and also
between electrons of same orbitals.
 ATOMIC RADIUS DOWN THE GROUP
• As atomic number increases down the group , the number of electron increases, so it
needs more number of shell to store this remaining electron .
• More number of electron means nucleus energy to attract the remaining electron will
distribute and decrease. The remaining electrons will become less attractive towards the
centre. Electron become loosely packed.
ATOMIC RADIUS DOWN THE GROUP

The size of atomic radius increases as the number of shells increase because the effect of shielding effect
between the valence electrons and the remaining electrons in inner shell.
Furthermore, down a group, there are more inner electrons between the outermost electron and the
nucleus. These inner electrons repel the outer electron, thereby shielding it from the nucleus' attractive
force. Therefore the outer electron is held further from the nucleus.
Atomic radii Increases down a group
PERIODIC TABLE
ATOMIC RADII DOWN THE GROUP (GROUP 1)

LITHIUM NATRIUM

Lithium has +3 nuclear charge

in the nucleus , with -2 inner
Natrium has +11 nuclear charge
elctrons and -1 valence
in the nucleus , -10 inner
electron occupies by 2 shells.
elctrons with -1 valence electron
The effective nuclear charge is
occupies by 3 shells. The effective
(+1)
nuclear charge is (+1)
EXAMPLE ATOMIC RADII GROUP 1
• For example, lithium (Li) has the electronic configuration of 1𝑠 2 2𝑠1 .The valence
electrons are in 2s orbital.
• Inner electrons 1𝑠 2 are tightly packed around the nucleus and lie between
nucleus and 2s valence orbital.
• Inner orbital has a charge of -2 and sorrounds a nucleus with +3 charge.
• The -2 charge of inner orbital effectively neutralises twoof positive charges of the
nucleus.Hence the net positive charge felt by valence electrons,known as effective
nuclear charge is only about +1
 COMPARISON GROUP 1

• Lithium is smaller than natrium atom because the number of shell is smaller than
natrium. It has 2 orbital, while natrium has 3 orbital.Shielding effect of natrium with
remaining electrons is greater as it is farther from the nucleus as the attraction of the
nucleus towards valence electron is weaker.
ATOMIC RADII DOWN THE GROUP ( GROUP 2)
CALCIUM (Ca)
MAGNESUIM (Mg)
BORON (B)

+4 +12 +20

Boron has +4 nuclear

Magnesium has +12 nuclear
charge in the nucleus , with
charge in the nucleus , with
-2 inner elctrons and -2 Lithium has +20 nuclear
-10 inner elctrons and -2
valence electron occupies charge in the nucleus , with
valence electron occupies
by 2 shells. The effective -18 inner elctrons and -2
by 3 shells. The effective
nuclear charge is (+2) valence electron occupies
nuclear charge is (+2)
by 4 shells. The effective
nuclear charge is (+2)
EXAMPLE RADII GROUP 2
• For example , Magnesium (Mg) has electronic configuration of
1𝑠 2 2𝑠 2 2𝑝6 3𝑠 2 . 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 3𝑠 𝑜𝑟𝑏𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙.
• The proton number of Mg is 12, hence it has nuclear charge of +12.However, the
positive charge felt by valence electrons is always less than the full nuclear charge
of +12.
• This is because the 10 inner electrons occupying the inner orbitals od 1s,2s, and
2p have shielded the valence electrons in Mg.
• Hence, the effective nuclear charge of atom is only about +2.
COMPARISON GROUP 2

Compare to boron, it is smaller due to the number of shell which is smaller than magnesium.The shielding
effect of magnesium is greater than boron.Therefore, magnesium becomes larger.
Calcium is bigger than magnesium because it has 4 orbital than magnesium which only have 3 orbital.The
shielding effect is smalller compare to calcium atom.Therefore, calcium is larger than magnesium
 SUMMARY

• As we go down a group, the outermost electron of an atom is placed in a shell that is further from
the nucleus. This means it experiences the electrostatic attraction of the positive nucleus less.

• Furthermore, down a group, there are more inner electrons between the outermost electron and the
nucleus. These inner electrons repel the outer electron, thereby shielding it from the nucleus'
attractive force. Therefore the outer electron is held further from the nucleus.
 TREND ATOMIC RADII
• Proton number increases

• Inner electrons will increase

• Shielding affect increases

• Thus, attraction of outermost shell towards the nucleus becomes weaker

• Therefore, atomic radii will increase

 REFERRENCES

• College matriculation chemistry sk016,Micheal L , 2015 , SAP PUBLICATION (M) SDN.BHD.

Pg 51
• https://www.chemguide.co.uk/atoms/properties/atradius.html
• https://www.mytutor.co.uk/answers/5983/A-Level/Chemistry/State-and-explain-the-trend-in-
atomic-radius-down-a-group-of-the-periodic-table
• https://www.creative-chemistry.org.uk/alevel/module1/trends1.htm
• https://chem.libretexts.org/Textbook_Maps/Inorganic_Chemistry/Supplemental_Modules_(Inor
ganic_Chemistry)/Descriptive_Chemistry/Periodic_Trends_of_Elemental_Properties/Periodic
_Trends