General
Chemistry
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1. Introduction to Physical Sciences
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Introduction to Chemistry
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History of Chemistry
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Fundamentals of Chemistry
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Atomic Structure
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Stoichiometry
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Thermochemistry
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Gas Laws
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Quantum Mechanics and the Electronic Structure of Atoms
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Periodic Trends
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Bonding
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Solutions
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Acids and Bases
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Redox Reactions
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Organic Chemistry
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Biochemistry
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Future of Chemistry
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Careers in Chemistry
Legacy Course
Atomic Radius, Ionization Energy and Electron Affinity
Atomic radius is a measure of the size of an atom, and it is defined as the distance between the nucleusA membrane-bound organelle in eukaryotic cells that contains DNA. of the atom and the outermost electrons. Atomic radius is an important property of atoms, and it is related to the size of the atom, the number of electrons in the atom, and the shielding effect of the inner electrons.
Atomic radius decreases as one moves across a period from left to right, because the number of protons in the nucleus increases, which increases the effective nuclear charge and attracts the electrons more strongly. Atomic radius also decreases as one moves down a group, because the number of electron shells increases, which increases the shielding effect of the inner electrons and decreases the effective nuclear charge.
Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom, and it is a measure of the stability of the atom. Ionization energy is an important property of atoms, and it is related to the strength of the attractive forces between the nucleus and the outermost electrons.
Ionization energy increases as one moves across a period from left to right, because the number of protons in the nucleus increases, which increases the effective nuclear charge and attracts the electrons more strongly. Ionization energy also increases as one moves up a group, because the number of electron shells increases, which decreases the shielding effect of the inner electrons and increases the effective nuclear charge.
Electron affinity is the energy change that occurs when an atom gains an electron to form a negative ion, and it is a measure of the ability of the atom to attract electrons. Electron affinity is an important property of atoms, and it is related to the energy changes that occur during chemical reactions.
Electron affinity generally increases as one moves across a period from left to right, because the number of protons in the nucleus increases, which increases the effective nuclear charge and attracts the electrons more strongly. Electron affinity also generally increases as one moves down a group, because the valence electrons are farther from the nucleus and are less shielded by the inner electrons, which makes them more susceptible to being attracted by the nucleus.
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