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Practice Ranking By Radius Size concepts in Chemistry. Step-by-step lessons to reinforce learning and understanding.
In this lesson, we will explore the periodic trends in atomic radius, focusing on how to rank elements based on their size.
The atomic radius is defined as the distance from the nucleus to the outermost shell of electrons. It can be influenced by two primary factors:
Period Trend: Atomic radius decreases from left to right across a period. This is due to the increase in , which pulls electrons closer to the nucleus.
Keywords: atomic radius, effective nuclear charge, electron shielding, periodic trends
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View All Chemistry Worksheets →Trend: Left to Right: , where is the atomic radius.
Group Trend: Atomic radius increases down a group. This is because additional electron shells are added, increasing the distance of the outermost electrons from the nucleus.
Trend: Top to Bottom , where is the atomic radius.
Understanding periodic trends in atomic radius helps us predict and rationalize the behavior of elements in chemical reactions and bonding.