TRENDS IN THE PERIODIC

TABLE
OF ELEMENTS
 Periodic trends
• are specific patterns that are present in the periodic table that
illustrate different aspects of a certain element,including its
size and its electronic properties. Major periodic trends that
will be discussed here include: atomic radius, ionization energy,
electronegativity, electron affinity, and metallic character.
• arising from the arrangement of the periodic table, provide
chemists with an invaluable tool to quickly predict an
element's properties.
• These trends exist because of the similar atomic structure of
the elements within their respective group families or periods,
and because of the periodic nature ofthe elements.
A. ATOMIC RADIUS
• The first periodic trend we will
consider is the atomic radius.
• The atomic radius is an indication
of the size of an atom.
• As you go down a column of the
periodic table, the atomic radii
increase.
• This is because the valence electron
shell is getting a larger and there is
a larger principal quantum number,
so the valence shell lies physically
farther away from the nucleus.
B. IONIZATION ENERGY
• Ionization energy (IE) is the
amount of energy required
to remove the outer
electron from an isolated
atom.
• In the periodic table,
ionization energy increases
in going across a period, but
decreases in going down a
family.
• Solution: Because Sr is below Ca on the periodic table, it is easier
to remove an electron from it; thus, Ca has the larger IE.
C. ELECTRONEGATIVITY
• Electronegativity refers to the
electron attracting ability of an
atom.
• The higher the value of the
electronegativity, the more strongly
that element attracts the shared
electrons.
• Electronegativity varies in a
predictable way across the periodic
table.
• Electronegativity decreases from top
to bottom in groups, and increases
from left to right across periods.
D. ELECTRON AFFINITY
• The electron affinity of an
atom is the tendency for
that particle to gain an
electron.
• Electron affinity generally
increases across a period in
the periodic table and
sometimes decreases down
a group.
E. METALLIC CHARACTER
• Metallic character decreases
as you move across a period in
the periodic table from left to
right.
• This occurs as atoms more
readily accept electrons to fill
a valence shell than lose them
to remove the unfilled shell.
• Metallic character increases as
you move down an element
group in the periodic table.