Atomic Radius

[Sunia Akaveka 4I]

This could be such a basic question but how do you find atomic radius? To be honest, I looked at the solutions manual (specifically for 1F.1 where it asks to list the elements in order of decreasing atomic radius) and still don't understand how the measurement is obtained. Anything helps, thanks!

[Tai Metzger 3K]

In general, the periodic table has the following trends for atomic radius:
As you move down a column, atomic radius increases.
As you move from left to right along a row, the atomic radius decreases.

[Sunia Akaveka 4I]

In general, the periodic table has the following trends for atomic radius:
As you move down a column, atomic radius increases.
As you move from left to right along a row, the atomic radius decreases.

Wait, actually that sounds very familiar and I think I knew that subconsciously. Hahah thanks! But by any chance, do you know how to obtain the specific number?

[Cynthia Gong 1L]

The atomic radius is half the distance between the nuclei of two identical atoms bonded together. For the purpose of this class I don't think we would be calculating the exact value of the radius.

[Emma Popescu 1L]

We won't need to calculate the value of atomic radius. If needed, the values should be given to us.

[Ayushi2011]

The value of atomic radius will always be given to us.

[Julieta Serobyan4D]

Atomic radius is usually given in a data booklet or just in the front page of the test.

[Mariah]

The atomic radius is half the distance between the nuclei of two identical atoms bonded together. For the purpose of this class I don't think we would be calculating the exact value of the radius.

During the lecture, a picture was shown that said 2r from both nuclei of atoms bonded together. Do you know what that meant? It confused me because he said it's half the distance but then it said 2r.

[Verity Lai 2K]

I think we will always be given the atomic radius and I think the 2r was to help us understand how the atomic radii was calculated.

[Robert Tran 1B]

The atomic radius is usually determined experimentally by halving the distance between the nuclei of two atoms. There isn't a formula that I know of that can allow us to solve for the atomic radius of a given element/ion.

[PriscillaLi_3G]

A visual of the atomic radius trend in the periodic table:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q ... 1235927497

[KBELTRAMI_1E]

In general, the periodic table has the following trends for atomic radius:
As you move down a column, atomic radius increases.
As you move from left to right along a row, the atomic radius decreases.

Do we need to know the exact number though?

[Michelle Le 1J]

No I don't think you need to know exactly how much the atomic radius changes, I would just know and understand the trends as you go down a group and across a period

[Brittany Tran 3I]

I don't think we need to calculate atomic radius directly, but it's defined as half the distance between the centers of two neighboring atoms

[Anvi Brahmbhatt 4A]

We probably do not need to calculate the atomic radius, but understand the periodic trend explained in the posts above!

[McKenna_4A]

You won't ever be asked to calculate the actual value of atomic radii. Just know the trends.

[Cassandra_1K]

How do you differentiate between Atomic and Ionic Radius because I know they both increase when going down a group and decrease from left to right, so how are they different?

[Megan Jung 3A]

In terms of looking at trends on the periodic table of atomic radii, the atomic radius can be defined as half the distance between to bonded atoms. This is because since electrons don't have a specific location, you cannot calculate exactly the distance between the center of the atom and the end of it.

[Nathan Nakaguchi 1G]

The atomic radius is half the distance between the centers of neighboring atoms, I don't think we will have to ever calculate a measurement for this (it would probably be given). I believe to answer this question you go based off of the periodic trends of atomic radii, as you go down and left of the periodic table radius increases. So you compare the relative locations of the atoms of the periodic table based off of how far down and how far left they are ie the size of their radii.