● If br2 reacted with KCL, nothing would take place, because Br has a lower
affinity than Cl
● Diatomic electron affinity must be greater than halide in salt
Quiestions
1. Valence Electrons and Periodicity
● Question: Elements in the same group have the same number of
valence electrons. How does this fact explain the similar chemical
properties of elements within a group, such as the alkali metals or the
halogens?
● Follow-up: Predict how the reactivity of alkali metals changes as you
move down Group 1 and explain why.
2. Effective Nuclear Charge
● Question: Explain how effective nuclear charge affects the size of an
atom's atomic radius as you move across a period. Why does atomic
radius decrease even though the number of electrons is increasing?
● Follow-up: How would the atomic radius change moving down Group 2
(alkaline earth metals), and what is the role of the shielding effect in this
trend?
3. Ionization Energy and Reactivity
● Question: Ionization energy generally decreases as you move down a
group. How does this relate to the increased reactivity of alkali metals
like potassium compared to lithium when reacting with water?
● Follow-up: In terms of ionization energy, why is fluorine more reactive
than chlorine in forming ionic compounds?
4. Electron Affinity
● Question: Electron affinity values tend to decrease as you move down a
group. Why does chlorine have a higher electron affinity than iodine,
even though they are both in Group 17 (halogens)?
● Follow-up: Based on electron affinity, which halogen would be the most
effective at gaining electrons to form anions, and why?
5. Ionic Radius
● Question: Compare the ionic radii of Na⁺, K⁺, and Rb⁺. Explain how their
ionic radii change as you move down Group 1 and how the effective
nuclear charge plays a role in this trend.
● Follow-up: What would happen to the ionic radius if a neutral atom
gained an electron (i.e., became an anion)? How does this compare to a
neutral atom losing an electron to become a cation?
6. Electronegativity Trends
● Question: Explain why electronegativity increases as you move across a
period from left to right and decreases as you move down a group.
● Follow-up: Given the relative electronegativities of oxygen and hydrogen,
which atom would have a stronger attraction for electrons in an O-H
bond, and why?
7. Metallic vs. Non-Metallic Character
● Question: Metallic character tends to increase as you move down a
group. How does this trend explain why cesium is more metallic than
sodium?
● Follow-up: Why do elements in the upper-right corner of the periodic
table (such as fluorine) have greater non-metallic character compared to
those in the bottom-left corner?
8. Displacement Reactions and Reactivity of Halogens
● Question: Halogens can displace less reactive halide ions in a solution.
Why does chlorine displace bromide ions in a solution of KBr, but
bromine cannot displace chloride ions in a solution of KCl?
● Follow-up: Predict the outcome when iodine is added to a solution of KCl.
Explain why this reaction would or would not occur.
9. Reactions of Alkali Metals with Water
● Question: Alkali metals react with water to form a hydroxide and
hydrogen gas. Why does sodium react more vigorously with water than
lithium? How would you expect potassium to react with water in
comparison to sodium?
● Follow-up: What factors contribute to the increased reactivity of alkali
metals with water as you move down the group?
10. Comparing Ionization Energies
● Question: Ionization energy increases as you move across a period.
Compare the ionization energies of magnesium (Group 2) and sulfur
(Group 16). Why does sulfur require more energy to remove an electron
even though both are in the same period?
● Follow-up: Which would have a higher ionization energy, calcium or
barium? Explain your reasoning using periodic trends.
11. Comparing Atomic and Ionic Radii
● Question: Compare the atomic radius of chlorine (Cl) with the ionic
radius of Cl⁻. Explain why the ionic radius of Cl⁻ is larger than its atomic
radius.
● Follow-up: How does the ionic radius of Na⁺ compare to its atomic radius,
and why does this difference occur?
12. Reactivity of Group 1 and 17 Elements
● Question: Why are elements in Group 1 (alkali metals) more reactive than
elements in Group 17 (halogens) when it comes to losing electrons, but
halogens are more reactive when it comes to gaining electrons?
● Follow-up: Based on the trends in ionization energy and electron affinity,
explain why Group 1 and Group 17 elements often form ionic compounds
together.
13. Periodic Table Block Structure
● Question: Elements within the same block on the periodic table (such as
the s-block) share similar electron configurations. How does this help
explain the similar chemical properties of elements in the same block?
● Follow-up: Why are the transition metals (d-block elements) harder and
have higher melting points compared to s-block elements like alkali
metals?
