Jon Beacher

Periodic Trends

The periodic table has eight periodic trends which include acidity, atomic radius,
ionization potential, electron affinity, electro-negativity, metallic character, nuclear charge
and shielding. First, the acidity of every element increases when going left to right on the
periodic table. The atoms on the right seem to attract electrons better than those on the
left, so this leaves the left ones more basic and the right ones more acidic. The acidity
decreases going down the periodic table. Second, the atomic radius tends to decrease as
one goes across a period because the nuclear charge increases, and therefore attracts the
orbiting electrons surrounding the radius. The atomic radius also increases as it descends
down a group. It does this because the energy shell increases spurring the outer electrons
to go further away form the nucleus. This increases the atomic size, however; the amount
of protons has a bigger effect than the radius. Third is Ionization potential. Ionization
potential (/energy) is the amount of energy required to remove one of its electrons.
Ionization potentials tend to increase while on progresses across a period because of the
greater number of protons attract the orbiting electrons stronger, so it increases the energy
that is required to remove one of the electrons. As an element goes down the periodic
table, its iodization energy decreases because it requires less energy to move them. The
fourth periodic trend is electronic affinity. Electronic affinity is the energy required to
remove an electron from a singly charged ion. As an element goes across a period, the
electronic affinity will increase due to the bigger attraction from the nucleus and the atom
attraction the electron as it reached maximum stability. If you go down a group, the
electron affinity increases because of a large increase in the atomic radius. Another
periodic trend is electro-negativity. This is the measure of the ability of an atom or
molecule to attract electrons into a chemical bond. The type of bond formed is
determined by the difference of the electomagnetivity of the atoms. When going down a
group, the electromagnevity decreases because the atoms have less of attractions for
electrons or protons. Metallic character is the fifth periodic trend. This refers to the
chemical properties associated with elements classified as metals. The properties come
from the element’s ability to lose electrons are called the thermite process. As an element
goes across a period from left to right in the periodic table, the metallic character
decreases as the atoms are more likely to gain valence electrons than lose them. When
you go down a group, the metallic character increases because to the lesser attraction
from the nucleus. Sixth, there is nuclear charge. This increases going top to bottom and
left to right across the periodic table. This is due to the increase in nuclear charge.
Nuclear charge is equal to the difference in the elements between the element and the first
element in the period. Lastly is shielding. Shielding of outer level electrons goes up as
you go down the groups on the periodic table. This is because there are extra levels of
electrons between the outer electrons and the nucleus. It does not increase when you go
side to side because there are no extra levels of electrons.