Which of the following explains the reason why atomic radii decrease across a period?
A
As you move across the period, the number of protons increases, which increases the nuclear charge. The number of electrons remains the same creating a larger Coulombic attraction and decreasing the radii.
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B
As you move across the period, the number of protons and electrons increases. The increased Coulombic attraction decreases the overall size of the atom.
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C
As you move across the period, the number of protons remains constant while the number of electrons increases. The decreased Coulombic attraction decreases the overall size of the atom.
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D
The atomic radii do not decrease across a period. It actually increases, duh!
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Solution
The correct option is B As you move across the period, the number of protons and electrons increases. The increased Coulombic attraction decreases the overall size of the atom. Atomic radius decreases from left to right within a period. This is caused by the increase in the number of protons and electrons across a period. One proton has a greater effect than one electron; thus, electrons are pulled towards the nucleus, resulting in a smaller radius
As you move across the period, the number of protons and electrons increases. The increased Coulombic attraction decreases the overall size of the atom.