Periodic Trends and Atomic Properties

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to periodic trends and atomic properties.

Atomic Radius

The measure of the size of an atom, typically the distance from the nucleus to the outermost electron shell.

Ionization Energy (IE)

The energy required to remove an electron from a gaseous atom or ion.

Electron Affinity (EA)

The energy change that occurs when an electron is added to a gaseous atom.

Effective Nuclear Charge (Zeff)

The net positive charge experienced by valence electrons, accounting for shielding effects by inner electrons.

Metallic Radius

Half the distance between the nuclei of two adjacent, individual atoms in a metallic crystal.

Covalent Radius

Half the distance between the nuclei of two identical, covalently bonded atoms.

Isoelectronic Series

A group of ions or atoms that have the same number of electrons and hence the same electron configuration.

Main-Group Elements

Elements found in the s and p blocks of the periodic table, which typically follow predictable trends in properties.

Metallic Behavior

The tendency of an element to lose electrons and form positive ions; characterized by conductivity and malleability.

Transition Metal Ions

Ions formed by transition metals that often lose varying numbers of electrons, resulting in multiple possible charges.