Periodicity 2811 1

PERIODICITY

Periodic Table • consists of rows, or ................................

• columns, or ................................
• is split into several blocks
• in each block the elements are filling, or have just filled, particular types of orbital

Group(s)

s block ..............................................
p block .............................................. s d p

d block ..............................................
f block ..............................................
f

The outer electron configuration is a periodic function i.e. it repeats every so often

Because many physical and chemical properties are influenced by the outer shell
configuration of an atom, it isn’t surprising that such properties also exhibit periodicity...

ionisation energy, electron affinity, atomic radius, ionic radius,

electronegativity, melting points and boiling points

Periods

Introduction • the first two periods in the periodic table are not typical
• the first contains only two elements (H, He)
• the second (Li - Ne) contains the top elements of each group; these have small
sizes and relatively high ionisation energies
• Period 3 is best for studying periodic trends.

Period 3

Elements As you move from left to right the elements go from highly electropositive metals through
metalloids with giant structures to the simple molecular structure of non-metals.

Na Mg Al Si P4 S8 Cl2 Ar
< - - - - metals - - - - > metalloid < - non metals (simple molecules) - >

Initially one is filling the 3s orbital then the 3p orbitals

The nuclear charge increases by one each time giving an increased pull on the electrons.
2 2811 Periodicity

Atomic
Radius A problem with measuring atomic radius is 0.16
that one is not measuring the true radius
of an atom. In metals one measures the
metallic radius (half the distance between 0.14
the inter-nuclear distance of what are
effectively ions). Covalent radius is half
the distance between the nuclei of atoms
joined by a covalent bond. The values are 0.12

measured by X-ray or electron diffraction.

UNITS:- nanometres 0.10

Decreases across a given period

0.08
due to ...
Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar

increased nuclear charge attracting the

electrons
(which are going into the same shell) more strongly.

Argon’s value cannot be measured as it doesn’t form compounds.

Q.1 Explain the variation in atomic and ionic size for the following isoelectronic species.

atoms ions

N3- O2- F¯ Ne Na+ Mg2+ Al3+

Protons 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Electrons 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

Electronegativity

A measure of the attraction an atom has 3.0

for the electron pair in a covalent bond.
Do not confuse with electron affinity.
2.5

UNITS:- Pauling Scale

2.0

Groups Decreases down a group. 1.5

1.0
Periods Increases across a period
As the nuclear charge increases so does
0.5
the attraction for the shared pair of
Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar
electrons in a covalent bond.
Periodicity 2811 3

Ionisation
Energy e.g. M(g) ———> M+(g) + e¯

Groups Decreases down a group

Despite the increase in nuclear charge,
the increased shielding and the increased 2500
distance from the nucleus means the
electrons are held less strongly and need 2000
less energy for their removal.

1500
Periods Increases across a period
Nuclear charge increases by one each
1000
time. Each extra electron, however, is
going into the same main energy level so
is subject to similar shielding and is a 500
similar distance away from the nucleus.
The electrons are held increasingly more
0
strongly and are harder to remove.
Ne Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar

BUT...

Minor differences occur...

aluminium 1st Ionisation Energy is lower than that of magnesium

because of the shielding effect of the newly filled 3s orbital.

sulphur 1st Ionisation Energy is less than that of phosphorus due to additional
repulsion between the newly paired up electrons in one of the p orbitals.

Electrical conductivity

Electrical conductivity takes place when ions or electrons are free to move.

UNITS:- Siemens per metre

0.4
Groups Where there is any electrical conductivity,
it Decreases down a group.

0.3

Periods Decreases across a period

0.2
Na, Mg, Al metallic bonding with
delocalised electrons

Si, P, S, Cl covalently bonded so no 0.1

electrons are free to move

Ar monatomic so electrons 0
are held very tightly Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar
4 2811 Periodicity

Melting Point &

Boiling Point
3000
Boiling and melting points are a Boiling
measure of the energy required to 2500
separate the particles in a substance.

Bond type is significant. 2000

Boiling points tend to be a better

1500
measure and show better trends
because solids can be affected by the
crystal structure as well as the type of 1000
bonding.

500
Melting
UNITS:- Kelvin

0
Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar

Periods A general increase then a decrease

Metals

Na-Al Melting point increases due to the increasing metallic bonding caused by ...

• larger number of electrons contributed to the “cloud”

• larger charge and smaller size of ions gives rise to a larger charge density.

Non-metals

Si Large increase in melting point as it has a giant molecular structure like diamond
A lot of energy is required to break the many covalent bonds holding the atoms together.

P, S, Cl Very much lower melting points as they are simple covalent molecules
The melting point depends on the weak intermolecular van der Waals forces.
The larger the molecule the greater the van der Waals’ forces

P4 S8 Cl2
relative mass 124 256 71
melting point 44°C 119°C -101°C

Shape of P4 Shape of S8

Ar Monatomic species with the lowest melting point