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Q.How the following properties varies in a group and in a period?

(a) Atomic radius
(b) Ionisation enthalpy
(c) Electronegativity
(d) Electron gain enthalpy
Telangana TsbieTelangana Board of Intermediate Education (Intermediate 1st Year) 2018Subjective· 8mImportance★★★★★
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Periodic trends in these four properties are governed mainly by two competing factors as you move across a period or down a group: increasing nuclear charge and increasing atomic size/number of shells.

(a) Atomic radius:

  • Across a period (left to right): atomic radius decreases. As electrons are added to the same shell (same principal quantum number nn), the nuclear charge also increases, pulling the electron cloud in more tightly (effective nuclear charge increases), so the atom shrinks.
  • Down a group: atomic radius increases. A new shell (higher nn) is added at each step, and this increase in the number of shells outweighs the increase in nuclear charge, so the atom becomes larger.

(b) Ionisation enthalpy (ΔiH\Delta_i H):

  • Across a period: ionisation enthalpy generally increases (with some exceptions, e.g., Be > B, N > O, due to extra stability of half-filled/fully-filled subshells). As effective nuclear charge increases and atomic size decreases, the outermost electron is held more tightly, so more energy is needed to remove it.
  • Down a group: ionisation enthalpy generally decreases. Atomic size increases and the outer electron is farther from the nucleus and better shielded by inner shells, so it is easier to remove despite the increased nuclear charge.

(c) Electronegativity:

  • Across a period: electronegativity increases. The increasing effective nuclear charge and decreasing atomic size make atoms attract a shared (bonding) electron pair more strongly.
  • Down a group: electronegativity decreases. Increasing atomic size means the bonding electron pair is farther from the nucleus, so it is attracted less strongly.

(d) Electron gain enthalpy (ΔegH\Delta_{eg} H): …

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