How do atomic radii vary across a period with an atomic number in the periodic table? Explain.
Variation of Atomic radii across a period: Atomic radii decrease with the increase in the atomic number in a period. For example, atomic radii decrease from lithium to fluorine in the second period. In moving from left to right across the period, the nuclear charge increases progressively by one unit but the additional electron goes” to the same principal shell. As a result, the electron cloud is pulled closer to the nucleus by increased effective nuclear charge. This causes a decrease in atomic size. Variation of Atomic radii across a period: Atomic radii decrease with the increase in the atomic number in a period. For example, atomic radii decrease from lithium to fluorine in the second period. In moving from left to right across the period, the nuclear charge increases progressively by one unit but the additional electron goes” to the same principal shell. As a result, the electron cloud is pulled closer to the nucleus by increased effective nuclear charge. This causes a decrease in atomic size. Variation of Atomic radii across a period: Atomic radii decrease with the increase in the atomic number in a period. For example, atomic radii decrease from lithium to fluorine in the second period. In moving from left to right across the period, the nuclear charge increases progressively by one unit but the additional electron goes” to the same principal shell. As a result, the electron cloud is pulled closer to the nucleus by increased effective nuclear charge. This causes a decrease in atomic size.
