Eduardo Blanes

Name: ____________________ Unit 3: Periodic Table

POGIL: Periodic Table Trends

(Adapted from Rush Henrietta CSD)

Why:
The Periodic Table is one of the greatest inventions in the history
of man. It allows scientists to predict physical and chemical
properties of the elements. Dimitri Mendeleev (a Russian
scientist) and Robert Mosley (a British chemist) put together this
table in the late 1800’s based on properties of the elements
known at the time. The trends in these properties as you go across
periods and down groups is the subject of this Chem POGIL

Success Criteria:
• Understand the meaning of
atomic radius, reactivity, electronegativity, ionization energy

• Recognize trends in atomic radius, reactivity, ionization energy and electronegativity as you go across
periods and down groups.

Resources:
IB Chemistry Data Booklet 4th edition

Prerequisites:
Answer the following questions using the resources above.

1. What happens to the number of valence 6. Draw a Bohr diagram for the Cl atom. (Draw
electrons as you go down a group on the above)
periodic table?
It remains the same
7. In this lab we will be talking about atomic
radius.
2. What happens to the number of valence a. Look up the atomic radius of Cl
electrons as you go from left to right across a 175 pm
____________
period?
b. Why is it possible to show the atomic
It increases by one except in the case of transition metals
radius using a Bohr diagram but not by
using a Lewis structure?
3. What happens to the number of energy levels Because the Lewis structure only represents the
as you go down a group on the periodic table? last energy level
It increases by one
c. On your Bohr diagram draw an arrow
to represent the radius of the Cl atom.
4. What happens to the number of energy levels
as you go from left to right across a period? 8. Define periodic:
It remains the same Recurrent, it repeats

5. Draw a Lewis structure for a Cl atom. 9. Define trend:

Tendency that elements follow when moving across
a period or group
 Model #1: Trends in Atomic Radius
Atomic Radius (pm)

300

55

250 37
19
56
38
200 20
11
Atomic Radius (pm)

39
48
21 49
12 40 5051
3
150 41
13 22 47 52
3031323334 4243 57
14 232425 444546 53
1516 26272829 54
4 35
100 36
5 17
6 7 18

8
9
50 10
1
2

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Atomic Number

Atomic radius is not straight forward as electron orbitals do not have sharp boundaries. Atomic
radius can be considered as the distance between the center of the nucleus and the outermost shell of
electrons in the Bohr atom. It is measured as half the distance between neighbouring nuclei or
bonded atoms. Data for atomic radius of elements is on Table 9.

1. The atomic radius is given in Table 9 as10-12 m. What unit is this equivalent to?
1 picometer

2. Where in your reference tables can you find information about an element’s atomic radius?

Table 9

3. Look at the graph above. Compare it to the periodic table. What do you notice about the location on
the periodic table of the elements that represent the high points?
They are alkali metals

4. What do you notice about the location on the periodic table of the elements that represent the low
points?
They are noble gases
 5. Look up the elements on the graph that make up period 3 of the periodic table. What do you notice
about atomic radius as you move from left to right across a period?
It decreases

So… state the trend…

ATOMIC RADIUS ___________________________

increases as you go down a group

decreases
and _____________________ as you go from left to right across a period.

Going Further: Explain, in terms of atomic structure and forces, why atomic radius decreases from left
to right across a period.
The atomic radius decreases when moving from left to right across a period because the nuclear charge becomes higher, so the
atraction to the nucleus is stronger which compresses the nuclear shells and therefore the radius becomes smaller.
 Model #2: Trends in Reactivity
lose
When METALS react they ________________ (gain/lose) electrons. As you go down
any group containing metals, it becomes easier to lose electrons because they are
further away from the attractive force of the positive nucleus.
1. Look at group 1 on the Periodic Table, the alkali metals.
a. What is similar about their atomic structure?
They all have only one valence electron
b. Why does hydrogen fit into this group?
Because it also has only one valence electron
c. Why does hydrogen NOT fit into this group?
(Hint: Why does it make sense that European Periodic Tables show H in both Group 1 and 17?)
Because if it gains an electron, it becomes stable because it would fill its subshell

d. Which metal is the most reactive of the group (that is, loses electrons most easily)? Why?
Francium, because it has the biggest radium and therefore the attraction that the nucleus has is lower than the other
alkaline metals, and therefore less energy is needed to extract the outer electron.
e. State the relationship between reactivity and size for metals.
The bigger the atomic radius, the more reactive the metal is.

f. Group 2, the alkaline earth metals, follow similar trends. So which element is more reactive,
barium or magnesium? Explain.
Barium, because t has a bigger radium and therefore the attraction that the nucleus has is lower to the Magnesium's
metals, and therefore less energy is needed to extract the Barium's outer electron.

gain
When NONMETALS react they _______________ (gain/lose) electrons. As you go down
a group the tendency to gain an electron decreases because the attractive force of the
nucleus is more “shielded” by the many other layers of electrons in between.

2. Look at group 17 on the Periodic Table, the halogens…

a. What is similar about their atomic structure?
They have seven valence electrons
b. Which nonmetal is the most reactive of the group (i.e. gains electrons most easily)? Why?
Fluorine, because it has the smallest radium and therefore the attraction that the nucleus has is bigger than the other halogens,
and therefore electrons are attracted more easily.
c. State the relationship between reactivity and size for nonmetals.
The smaller the atomic radius, the more reactive the metal is.

3. Group 18, the NOBLE GASES, are not reactive at all. Why?
Because they have their outer subshelled already filled, which makes them very stable

So… state the trend…

For METALS, REACTIVITY ___________________as

Increases you go down a group.

For NONMETALS, REACTIVITY ________________

Decreases as you go down a group.
Model #3: Trends in Electronegativity

Electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to attract electrons when it is bonded to another atom.
Often, although not always, the difference in electronegativity between two bonding atoms is an
indication of whether the compound is ionic, covalent or “in between”. (More on this concept, called
polarity, in the next Unit.) Electronegativity is given in Table 8 of the IB data booklet.

Refer to the graph you made of electronegativity vs atomic number in a previous lesson.

1. Why would an atom tend to gain electrons?

An atom tends to gain electrons when it has a high electroaffinity, because the nucleus attracts the outer electrons, and the atoms
that gain electrons are non-metals, which have to do so to became stable.
2. When looking at the elements in the same period, from which group does the element come from that has the
17
highest electronegativity value in every case? _________…. 1
The lowest? _________

3. Which has higher electronegativity, metals or nonmetals? Why?

Nonmetals have higher electronegativity because electronegativity increasing when moving from left to right in a period, due to
decreasing radius, and therefore the attraction to the nucleus becomes stronger so electrons are caught more easily
4. What is the electronegativity trend from top to bottom in the same group?
Decrease

5. What is the electronegativity trend from left to right across a period?

Increase

6. Based on the definition of electronegativity, why don’t the noble gases have any electronegativity values?
Because they are already stable, they dont form compund and therefore they dont gain electrons

7. Which element has the highest electronegativity of all? Why?

Fluorine, because halogens are the most electronegative group because they have the smallest atomic radius of their period, and
fluorine is the smallest atom out of the halogens.

decreases
ELECTRONEGATIVITY ___________________________ as you go down a group
increases
and _____________________ as you go from left to right across a period.
Model #4: Trends in Ionization Energy
Ionization Energy (kJ/mol)

2500
2

10
2000

9
Ionization Energy (kJ/mol)

1500 18
7
36
1 8
17
35 54
6
1000 1516 53
3334
4 30
48 52
5 46 51
14 26272829 32
12 25 434445 47 50
42
21222324 39
4041
13 20 31 49
38
500 3 11 5657
19 37 55

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Atomic Number

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove one mole of electrons from one mole of gaseous atoms in
their ground state. First ionization energy is given in Table 8 of the IB data booklet.

1. Why is it easier to remove an electron from Na 5. Are these trends similar to other trends?
than it is from Cl? Explain.
Because Na has a bigger atomic radius than Cl, therefore the outer electron from Na is further They are similar to electronegativity and electroaffinity
from the nucleus than the outer electron of CL, and consequently the attraction to the nucleus is because all of them increase when moving from left to right
smaller than the one in CL in a period and from down to up in a group
2. Why is ionization energy related to, but not the
same as, electronegativity? 6. Why do noble gases have the highest ionization
They are related because they follow the same trend, but they energy values?
are different because they are different concepts, I.E is
measured in KJ/mol and electronegativity is a scale. Because they are already stable, they have its outer subshell
filled, and therefore it requires much energy to extract that
3. Describe the trend in ionization energy as you because then it would become less stable
go left to right across a period.
The overall trend is an increase, however there are some
7. Why do metals have low ionization energy
exceptions for which the Ionization decreases values?
Because they have bigger atomic radiuses than other elemnts in the same period,
which means that the outer electron is further from the nucleus, is less atracted to it
4. Describe the trend in ionization energy as you and requires less energy to be extracted
go down a group. 8. Why do nonmetals have high ionization energy
The overall trend is a decrease, being the first values?
Because they have smaller atomic radiuses than other elemnts in the same period, which
jump much more drastic than the rest means that the outer electron is closer to the nucleus, is more atracted to it and requires
more energy to be extracted

So… state the trend…

decreases
IONIZATION ENERGY ___________________________ as you go down a group
and _____________________
increases as you go from left to right across a period.
Name _____________________ Unit 3: Periodic Table

PERIODIC TABLE WRAP UP

Think about these questions and answer them thoughtfully ON YOUR OWN.

1. What does chemical reactivity mean for metals?

The ability to lose electrons

2. Which is the more reactive alkaline earth metal, magnesium or calcium? Explain why.
Calcium, because it has a bigger radius, therefore the outer electron si further from the nucleus and less atracted to him and less energy
is required to extract it

3. Why does atomic radius increase as you go down a group?

Because theere are more energy levels

4. Why does ionization decrease as you go down a group?

Because the atomic radius becomes bigger, and therefore the outer electrons are less atracted to the nucleus because they are further
from it and less energy is requiered to extract them.

5. Why is the electronegativity for non-metals much greater than the electronegativity for metals?
Because their atomic radius is smaller, therefore the electrons are attracted more strongly to the nucleus and they have more chances of
gaining an electron