INORGANIC CHEMISTRY (AS)

The Periodic table

Groups II , VII , V and VI
Transition elements

THE PERIODIC TABLE (AS)

Trends in physical and chemical
properties
Across a period from left to right

Periodic table

1869 : proposed by Mendeleev

63 elements arranged according to
increasing atomic mass
1913 : modern periodic table proposed
by Moseley
108/109 elements arranged according
to increasing atomic number

Structure of the Table

Elements are arranged according to their atomic no.

Period = the horizontal row
Group = the vertical column
Divided into sections:
s-block (Groups I and II) : outermost subshell s
p-block (Groups III to VIII):outermost subshell p
d-block with transition elements : partially filled d
subshell

Diagonal relationship

First element in any group usually

shows unusual behaviour unlike the rest
of the elements in the same group
More similar to the second element in
the neighbouring group

Example :
Group

I
Li

II
Be

III
B

Na

Mg

Al

Rxn

Heat
carbonate

Typical
Group I
element
No
reaction

Li
(Group I)

Heat
nitrate

MNO2 + O2 Li2O + O2
+ NO2

Mg
(Group II)

Li2O + CO2 MgO +

CO2
MgO + O2
+ NO2

Trends in physical properties

( Physical periodicity )

1. Atomic and ionic radii

a. Atomic radius :
i) Size of atoms = atomic (covalent) radii
= half internuclear distance between 2
atoms of the same element joined by a
single bond
Eg
Cl - Cl
Size of Cl = x/2
x

Note :atomic radius for other elements

(1)Metals metallic radius of the atom
in the metal
(2)Noble gases -atomic/ VDW radius is
half the average distance between
adjacent non-bonded atoms -unusually
large value

ii) Atomic size decreases from left to right

due to increase in nuclear charge
iii) Decrease in size becomes smaller with
increasing atomic number due to increased
repulsion between electrons
Eg
Li
Be
B
C
Radius
0.123 0.089 0.080
0.077
Decrease
0.034
0.009
0.003

Period 2

Atomic

Li

radius

Be

Atomic number

Period 3 ( data from Data Booklet )

Atomic

Unusually
large value

radius

(VDW radius)

Ar

Atomic number

b. Ionic radius
i) Positive ions :
Atom - electrons Positive ion
(p = e)
( p > e)
In ion , nuclear charge has greater pull on
remaining electrons
Or sometimes positive ion has one shell less
than atom
Size of positive ion smaller than neutral atom

ii) Negative ions :

Atom + electrons Negative ion
(p = e)
( p e)
In ion , nuclear charge has weaker pull on
the electrons
Also increased repulsion between electrons
Size of negative ion bigger than neutral atom

c. Eg : Period 3
i) Positive ions
Na+ Mg2+
Al3+ Si4+
Ionic radius
0.095 0.065 0.050 0.041
( nm)
All ions are isoelectronic (10 e ), [Ne]
From Na to Si, nuclear charge increases
Attractive force on outer electrons increases
Decrease in ionic radii

ii)Negative ions
P3S2ClIonic radius/nm
0.212 0.184 0.181
All ions are isoelectronic ,18 e , [Ar]
From P to Cl, nuclear charge increases
Attractive force on outer electrons increases
Decrease in ionic radii

iii)Radii of negative ions are larger than

that of positive ions
Reasons :
Extra shell of electrons in negative ions
( 18 e vs 10 e ) (*)
Increased repulsion between larger no
of electrons

iv)Graph

Ionic
radius

Na+

Si4+

P3-

Cl-

Atomic
number

2. Melting* and boiling points :

Depends on strength of the bonds and
on the structure in the solid state
Eg Period 3 ( Na to Ar )
Na Mg Al
Si P S Cl
Ar
Giant metallic
structure

Giant molecular
structure

Simple molecular
structure

a. Na , Mg , Al :
Giant metallic structure
Strong metallic bonds high m.p
M.p increases from Na to Al as metallic
bonds becomes stronger

Reasons : Increasing no of delocalised

electrons (*)
Increasing nuclear charge
Decreasing atomic radius

b. Si :
Giant molecular structure
Numerous strong covalent bonds
present
Highest melting point

c. P to Ar :
Simple molecular structure
Weak VDW forces low m.p
Strength of VDW forces no of electrons
P4
S8
Cl2
Ar
no of electrons
most
least
VDW force
strongest
weakest
m.p / 0C
44 119
-101 -189
highest
lowest

Note:
Structure of P4 : tetrahedral

Sulphur, S8

Si
Melting
Point / 0 C

Mg

Al

Na
P

Cl

Ar
Atomic number

3. Electrical conductivity :
In period 3 (from Na to Ar) , elements
change from metal to non metal
a. Na , Mg , Al :
Metals with metallic structures consisting of
cations in a sea of delocalised electrons
Mobile electrons Good conductors/high
conductivity
Conductivity increases as no of delocalised
electrons increases from Na to Al

b. Si :
Semi metal , semi conductor / moderate
conductivity
c. P to Ar :
Non metals , exists as simple discrete
molecules
All electrons paired in covalent bonds
No free electrons or ions non conductors/
low conductivity

Electrical
conductivity

Al

Na

Si
Atomic number

4. Ionisation energy ( first I.E ) :

a. Generally , the I.E of elements
increase across a period due to
i) increase in nuclear charge (*)

ii)slight decrease in atomic radius

Note : However there are anomalies :

(1)between elements in Groups II and III ,
and
(2)between elements in Groups V and VI
b. In any period , the elements in Group VIII
( inert or noble gases ) being stable have the
highest first I.E

First I.E

Ar
P
Mg
Na

Si

Cl
S

Al

Atomic number

5. Electronegativity :
a. Definition : electronegativity of an
element is a measure of its attraction
for bonding electrons
b. Electronegativities increases from left
to right across a period due to
increase in nuclear charge

c. Electronegativity decreases down a

group
due to increase in shielding effect

Changes in Physical Properties of

Elements in a Period
Property

Na

Mg

Al

Si

Cl

Ar

Proton #

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Ionisation energy
(kJ/mol)

500

740

580

790

1010

1000

1260

1520

Covalent bond
radius (nm)

0.15
6

0.136

0.125

0.117

0.110

0.104

0.099

0.19
2

Electronegativity

1.0

1.25

1.45

1.74

.05

2.45

2.85

Structure

Giant
Metal
-lic

Giant
molec
-ular

Simpl
e
Molec
-ular

Density (gcm-3)

0.97

1.74

2.70

2.33

1.82

2.07

gas

Gas

Melting pt (oC)

98
low
890

651
high
1117

660
high
2447

1410
high
2355

44
low
280

119
low
445

-101
low
-35

-189
low
-186

high

high

high

mode
rate

low

low

low

low

Boiling pt (oC)
Electrical
conductivity