Which of the following properties of atoms generally increases down a group in the periodic table?
Answer Details
The ionic radius of an atom generally increases down a group in the periodic table. The reason for this trend is that as you move down a group, the number of electron shells increases, meaning that the atomic size increases. This leads to a decrease in the effective nuclear charge, which reduces the attraction between the nucleus and the outermost electrons, allowing them to spread out and occupy a larger volume. As a result, the ionic radius of the atoms in the group increases, making them larger in size.