Elements located towards the left side of the periodic table have larger atomic radii than those located towards the right side. This is due to the increased number of energy levels as you move down a group.
What is Atomic Radius?
Atomic radius is the distance of the outermost or valence electrons from the nucleus of an atom.
The atomic radius is an important property of an element that provides information about its behavior in chemical reactions and its physical properties.
Watch the videos below from left to right. Observe how chemical reactivity changes as you move down Group 1 of the periodic table.
What is Ionization Energy?
Ionization Energy is the energy needed to remove a valence electron from a gaseous atom. The tighter the nucleus holds an electron, the more energy needed to remove it.
The ionization energy is an important property of an element that can provide insights into its chemical behavior and reactivity.
What is Electron Affinity?
Electron Affinity is the ability of an atom to accept an electron. It is measured by the energy change in the atom as an electron is added to the gaseous form of the atom.
Electron affinity is an important property of an element that can provide insights into its chemical behavior and reactivity, as well as its potential applications in various fields.
Electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to attract electrons towards itself. Elements towards the right side of the periodic table have higher electronegativity than those towards the left side.
The metallic character of an element refers to its tendency to exhibit metallic properties, such as the ability to conduct electricity, reflect light, and form cations by losing electrons.
Elements located towards the left side of the periodic table are generally more metallic in character than those located towards the right side. This is because metals tend to lose electrons to form cations, while nonmetals tend to gain electrons to form anions.
Generally, metals have high melting and boiling points, while nonmetals have low melting and boiling points. However, there are some exceptions to this trend, such as carbon, which has a high melting and boiling point despite being a nonmetal.
Reactivity is the tendency of an element to undergo chemical reactions with other substances. In general, the reactivity of metals increases as you move down a group and towards the left side of the periodic table. Conversely, the reactivity of nonmetals increases as you move up a group and towards the right side of the periodic table.