Question

Why is the atomic radius of $Li$ larger than that of $Be$?

Answer 1

Here's what's going on here.
Explanation:
Lithium, $Li$, and beryllium, $Be$, are both located in period $2$ of the periodic table, in group $1$ and group $2$, respectively.
For both these elements, the outermost electrons are located on the second energy level in the $2s-subshell$. However, these outermost electrons. which ultimately determine the atomic radius, are closer to the nucleus in beryllium's case
That happens because beryllium has a higher effective nuclear charge $Z_{eff}$, then lithium.
The effective nuclear charge is simply a measure of the net positive charge that affects the outermost electrons in an atom.
In lithium's case outermost electron is being screened from the nucleus by two core electrons. The same is true for the two outermost electrons in beryllium, they are screened by two core electrons.
However, beryllium has $4$ protons in its nucleus, as opposed to $3$ protons which are present in the nucleus of a lithium atom.
This ,means that the nucleus of a beryllium will pull on the outermost electrons with more force, effectively compressing the distance between itself and these electrons.
That is why lithium has a larger atomic radius than beryllium. In fact, atomic radius decreases as you move from left top right across a period.