A student recently asked me why successive electron affinities can have negative values. Here’s a quick explanation: First, let’s clarify what we mean by successive electron affinity. It refers to the energy change when adding a second, third, or subsequent electron to an already negatively charged ion, after one electron has been added to the … Read more
Generally, ionization energy increases across a period from left to right. If you need a quick refresher, here’s why: As you move across a period, the nuclear charge increases, but the number of energy levels stays the same. At the same time, the atomic size decreases, pulling the electrons closer to the nucleus. Because the … Read more
Answer No. Atomic radii DECREASE as we move from left to right across a period in the periodic table. The table below, for example, shows the atomic radii of Period 3 elements—you can observe a steady decrease from sodium (Na) to argon (Ar) through magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), and … Read more