Arrange the following elements in order of increasing (from smallest to largest) atomic size: H, Br, Cl, O. Explain the reasoning behind your chosen order. Do not simply restate the trend, but rather explain why the trend exists.

Question

Kassandra Cuevas

Chemistry

8 October, 20:08

Arrange the following elements in order of increasing (from smallest to largest) atomic size: H, Br, Cl, O. Explain the reasoning behind your chosen order. Do not simply restate the trend, but rather explain why the trend exists.

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Answers (1)

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Alma Hogan · Answer 1

Order from smallest to largest is as follows:

H
Explanation:

In periodic table,

Size of atoms decreases from left to right and increases from top to bottom.

From left to right in a period, electronic shells remain the same and effective nuclear charge increase because of increase in atomic number.

Increase in effective nuclear charge increases the electrostatic attraction between electron and nucleus and so shells become closer to nucleus and decrease the size of atom.

From top to bottom in a group, number of shells increases, and so valence electrons become farther from the nucleus which decreases electrostatic attraction between nucleus and valence electrons. Moreover, also poor shielding decreases effective nuclear charge which results into increase in size from to bottom.

Among given, H is present in period 1, Br in period 4, chlorine in period 3 and oxygen in period 2.

As size increases from as we go down in the priodic table, theferore order of the size of the given elements are as follows:

H