Questions tagged [periodic-trends]
Trends which are observed in the properties of elements as you move along the periodic table in a given direction.
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Why is the increase in covalent radius from As to Bi not as big as from N to P?
The following is the radius of Group $15$ elements:
$$\begin{array}{c|c} \hline
\text{Element} & \text{Covalent Radius }(\pu{pm}) \\ \hline
\ce{N} &75 \\
\ce{P} &110 \\
\ce{As} &...
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Color of Flame Test for Alkali Metals
Lithium is known to have the highest ionization energy among Group 1 elements. Also, characteristic colours in the flame test arise due to the excitation and de-excitation of electrons. Then why ...
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Why is magnesium sulfate more soluble in water than that of strontium and calcium sulfates?
Magnesium sulfate is soluble in water. Its solubility is $\pu{26.9 g}/\pu{100 mL}$ at $\pu{0 ^\circ C}$ $(\pu{35.1 g}/\pu{100 mL}$ at $\pu{20 ^\circ C})$.[1]
However, both calcium sulfate $(\pu{0.21 g}...
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How can a element have different electronegativity value in different compounds if it has some specified value in elecronegativity scales life for F=4
we often have to answer in which compound elecronegativity value of some particular element is higher or lower for example electronegativity of which compound S has higher electronegativity SO2 or SO3
...
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352 views
Why is ionization energy of indium less than gallium?
In group 13 we observe an irregular trend in ionization energy: B > Tl > Ga > Al > In.
Gallium has a filled 3d subshell, but indium has a filled 4d and 3d subshell. Thus it should have more poor ...
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Out of KCl, CaCl2, MgCl2, NaCl, which causes the greatest corrosion rate of iron and why?
I know that salts act as an electrolyte in a redox process and rusting of iron, where iron loses electrons and oxidizes, and oxygen gains electrons and reduces. I did an experiment with KCl, NaCl, ...
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Predict the valence configuration of this element using the first five ionization energies [closed]
If the first five ionization energies of an element are, respectively: $\pu{1.09 kJ/mol}$, $\pu{2.35 kJ/mol}$, $\pu{4.62 kJ/mol}$, $\pu{6.22 kJ/mol}$ and $\pu{37.83 kJ/mol}$, to which group of the ...
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Density of d-block elements
Something that confuses me slightly is the trends in density when comparing periods 4, 5, and 6 in the d-block. Looking at periods 5 and 6, the density peaks at group 8, with ruthenium and osmium, ...
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Ionization enthalpy for group 13 elements
The ionization enthalpy for elements along a group generally reduces.
But there is an exception for group 13 elements and the order is not
uniform.
The order is:
B>Tl>Ga>Al>In
According to ...
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1answer
57 views
Why does the ionization enthalpy of elements across a period not follow a regular pattern while the atomic size always decreases?
First of all, I would like to mention that I am only talking about elements that aren't from the d or f blocks.
In order to further elaborate on my question, I would like to take the third period as ...
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2answers
910 views
Why is fluorine a oxidising agent? [closed]
An oxidizing agent pulls the electron cloud of the substance being oxidized towards itself, for example:
$$\ce{F2 + 2 X- -> 2F- + X2}\qquad (\ce{X} = \ce{Cl}, \ce{Br}, \ce{I})$$
We also know that ...
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1answer
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The quantum mechanics behind periodicity of elements
Especially in high school/first-year undergraduate chemistry courses, we learn with great dedication the periodicities along groups and periods. There are various useful and interesting trends.
I ...
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Why is boiling point of Ammonia greater than Arsine?
I have previously read that the boiling point of Stibane(SbH3) is greater than Ammonia(NH3) as ammonia is gas at room temperature and no hydrogen bonding exists in the gaseous form of NH3.
Hence, as ...
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1answer
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Why does the second electron affinity has an opposite sign of the first one?
Many first electron affinities are positive, indicating a favourable process, but the corresponding second electron affinities are negative. For example, the first and second electron affinities of ...
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1answer
783 views
Why doesn't ionization energy decrease from O to F or F to Ne?
I know that in general, the first ionization energy increases across a period due to increasing nuclear charge, reasonably constant shielding & decreasing atomic radius.
From N to O, however, the ...
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Question on d block contraction
For size trend down a group, it is known that:$$Al\gt Ga$$
Due, to d block contraction of gallium.
Why isn't this the case when it comes to silicon and germanium?
Won't the poor shielding effect from ...
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1answer
42 views
Tendency of formation of complexes in Group-1 elements
My book states the following:
Down the group(Group-1), tendency to form complexes decreases due to decrease in charge density$\bigg(\frac{\text{charge}}{\text{radius}}\bigg).$ This results in ...
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1answer
490 views
Why does Calcium have a higher ionization energy than Aluminium?
Given their places on the periodic table I'd assume Aluminium has a higher ionization energy, because it has fewer energy levels, and is on a "righter" row on the periodic table, but in reality it is ...
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3answers
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Halogen Oxyacid Trend (acid strength)
Why is $\ce{HClO4}$ more acidic than $\ce{HBrO4}$? But $\ce{HCl}$ is less acidic than $\ce{HBr}$? What determines the acidity? Is it the concentration of $\ce{H+}$? If so, how do these trends develop ...
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Why is the melting point of magnesium oxide higher than aluminium oxide?
There's a graph of the melting points of period three oxides. The melting point of magnesium oxide is several hundred Kelvin higher than aluminiumoxide. I can't find any explanations for this on the ...
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1answer
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Why can’t lanthanum through lutetium and actinium through lawrencium all be in group 3?
In 2015, IUPAC established a task force to “deliver a recommendation in favor of the composition of group 3 of the periodic table.” Not much about their decision-making process has been made known to ...
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1answer
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Why does this formula work?
My teacher gave us a formula for determining if a M-O-H like compound will act like a base or not.without explaining much.
Base if:$$|\chi_o-\chi_M|\gt|\chi_o-\chi_H|$$
Flipped inequality if acid.
I ...
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Why is Aluminium oxide amphoteric?
I was reading my book, in which it mentioned that aluminium and gallium oxides are amphoteric and and indium and thalium oxide are basic in their properties.
But no explanation was given.
My main ...
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1answer
34 views
Find the Ionisation Potential and Electron affinity of X
$N_0/2$ atoms of $X_{(g)}$ are converted into $\ce{X^+_{(g)}}$ by energy $E_1$. $N_0/2$ atoms of $X_{(g)}$ are converted into $\ce{X^-_{(g)}}$ by energy $E_2$.
Hence ionisation potential and electron ...
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1answer
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Reactivity Dilemma of elements [closed]
While learning Periodic Properties, I stumbled upon a doubt regarding reactivity of elements of period 2 and period 3.
(I am denoting reactivity, of any $X$ element as $R_{X}$.)
For reactivity of $s-...
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1answer
3k views
Why do atomic radii decrease across a period? [closed]
It's said that atomic size/radius decreases across a period, in spite of addition of electrons. But how does this actually work?
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1answer
594 views
Why is the electronegativity of potassium and rubidium same?
The electronegativity of potassium and rubidium is reckoned at 0.82 for both. Why is it same for both of them? Shouldn't it be less for rubidium as compared to potassium owing to the addition of one ...
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1answer
1k views
Is the magnitude of ionisation enthalpy and ionisation energy is same?
In my textbook it is written that ionisation energy and ionisation enthalpy are two different quantities. ionisation energy is the amount of energy provided to extract an electron from the outermost ...
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3answers
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How do atomic radius and nuclear charge influence ionisation energies?
This is actually a multiple choice question.
Why is the first ionisation energy of neon higher than that of fluorine?
A: Fluorine is more electronegative than neon
B: Neon has a complete octet, but ...
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3answers
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Why is the boiling point of heavy water more than that of normal water?
In class we learnt that the London forces become stronger as the relative molecular mass increases. Not just as in organic chemistry but in things like the halogens.
However, as I understand, the ...
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1answer
407 views
Covalent atomic radii: oxygen vs nitrogen
Many books state that $R_\ce{N} > R_\ce{O}$ which is in accordance with the general trend. However, some books say that $R_\ce{O} > R_\ce{N}$ because of repulsion caused by pairing of electrons.
...
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3answers
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Why do the melting points of Group 15 elements increase upto Arsenic but then decrease upto Bismuth?
The boiling points of group 15 elements increase on going down the group (or, as size increases) but the same is not true for the melting points. The melting points increase from $\ce{N}$ to $\ce{As}$ ...
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Why is lithium the most reducing alkali metal, and not caesium?
Caesium has a larger size, and the effective nuclear charge that the valence electron experiences will be far less compared to that of lithium's, right? But lithium is still considered the strongest ...
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1answer
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Trend in reducing property of dioxides
I am not sure of the explanation for the following statement:
The reducing property of dioxides of group 16 elements decreases from $\ce{SO2}$ to $\ce{TeO2}$.
Is the statement valid? If yes, how ...
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2answers
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Why does hydrogen have a lower ionization energy than fluorine?
I found here that the ionization energy of hydrogen is $\pu{1312kJ/mol}$ and for fluorine, it is $\pu{1681kJ/mol}$. Now clearly, from the data, we can see that hydrogen has a lower ionization energy ...
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Electron affinities of the chalcogens and halogens
Here are the electron affinities of the 16th and 17th groups.
The general trend for electron affinity down the group is that it decreases because of the increase in atomic radius.The exception of $\...
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1answer
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Regular decrease in the atomic radius of 3d series
While comparing atomic radius, two factors are important:
A. Decrease in size due to increase in effective nuclear charge
B. Increase in size due to increase in shielding effect
I was surprised to ...
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1answer
127 views
Is there an opposite to shielding effect? [closed]
I recently read about shielding effect and lowering of effective nuclear charge due to penetration of other electrons. I wonder while doing calculations involving Slater's rules the electrons from ...
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1answer
278 views
Why is platinum denser than gold?
The atomic masses of gold and platinum are 196.96657 u and 195.084 u respectively, meaning that (on average) an individual gold atom is heavier than an individual platinum atom.
At the same time, the ...
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why lawrencium is placed in f-block elements although its last electron enters in 6d-subshell?
The electronic configuration of lawrencium ($\ce{Lr}$) is $\mathrm{[Rn] 7s^2 5f^{14} 6d^1}$. As its last electron enters the $\mathrm{6d}$ sub shell, it should be a part of $\mathrm{d}$-block elements,...
Mathew Mahindaratne
28.1k15 gold badges36 silver badges72 bronze badges
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1answer
577 views
Trend in atomic volume across a period [closed]
"Atomic volume decreases along a period, reaches a minimum at the middle, and then increases for the rest of the period"
Why does the atomic volume, along a period, initially decrease, ...
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2answers
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Comparing ionic character of group 1 elements
According to Fajan's rule ionic character should increase down the group as the size of cation increase.
So it must be
$$\ce{LiH < NaH < KH < RbH < CsH}$$
However, the following two ...
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1answer
993 views
What is the structure of CF3 radical? [duplicate]
In the class, I was told that $\ce{H3C^.}$ has a trigonal planar structure with the unpaired electron in $\mathrm{2p_z}$ orbital. But $\ce{H3C -}$ has a trigonal pyramidal structure.
But why does ...
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Why does solubility of Carbonate salts of Alkali metals in water increase down the group?
Carbonate salts have a very large anion so hydration energy should dominate over lattice energy. Since hydration energy is inversely proportional to radius of ion, I would expect Lithium to release ...
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1answer
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What is the lattice structure of manganese?
A transition element is defined as the one which has incompletely filled d orbital in its ground state or in any one of its oxidation state. Zinc , cadmium and mercury are not typical transition ...
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Why doesn't core charge increase down a group? [closed]
Atomic radius increases down a group because the electrons feel a lesser attraction to the positive nucleus (due to shielding from inner shells). Why then, doesn't core charge decrease seeing as core ...
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1answer
13k views
What is the reason for the different solubility of silver halides in ammonia?
According to my knowledge, I know that $\ce{AgCl}$ dissolves in dilute ammonia, $\ce{AgBr}$ dissolves in concentrated ammonia and $\ce{AgI}$ does not dissolve even with concentrated ammonia.
What is ...
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346 views
Why is the strontium ion smaller than the potassium ion? [closed]
The ionic radius of the $\ce{Sr^2+}$ ion is $\mathrm{132\,pm}$, while the ionic radius of the $\ce{K^+}$ ion is $\mathrm{152\,pm}$. Why is this the case? I would have thought that since $\ce{K^+}$ has ...
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2answers
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How to tell which species has the highest ionization energy?
I am preparing for my final exam, and I am very confused about ionization energy. An example question would be:
Between the species $\ce{Ne, Na+, Mg^2+, Ar, K+, $\&$~Ca^2+}$, which one has the ...
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225 views
Why is phosphorus trifluoride the strongest Lewis acid among the phosphorus trihalides?
I had read that for the trihalides of boron, boron trifluoride is the weakest Lewis acid due to backbonding. The order I had seen was -
$\ce{BI3 > BBr3 > BCl3 > BF3}\$
$$\ce{}$
$- order of ...
