Chapter 4: Problem 96

According to the Bohr model, why do atoms get larger as you proceed down a group in the periodic table?

Short Answer

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According to the Bohr model, atoms get larger as you proceed down a group in the periodic table because the number of electron shells increases. This leads to electrons occupying larger and more distant energy levels from the nucleus, which in turn results in a wider electron cloud and an increased atomic radius. Consequently, the overall size of the atom expands.

Step by step solution

Understand the Bohr model of an atom

The Bohr model is a simplified model of the atom in which electrons are arranged in concentric circles or energy levels around the nucleus of the atom. The higher the energy level, the farther it is from the nucleus. This model can be used to explain some properties of atoms, such as their size and energy levels.

Understand the structure of the periodic table

In the periodic table, elements are organized into groups (vertical columns) and periods (horizontal rows). Elements in the same group have similar electron configurations because they have the same number of valence electrons, which are the electrons in the outermost energy level. As we move down a group, the atoms have more electron shells because the atomic number (number of protons) increases, adding more electrons to energy levels.

Explain the increase in atomic size as per the Bohr model

According to the Bohr model, as we move down a group in the periodic table, the number of energy levels or electron shells increases. Since electrons are negatively charged, they repel each other and tend to occupy increasingly distant energy levels from the nucleus. The placement of electrons in larger, more distant energy levels adds to the overall size of the atom.

Relate the increase in atomic size with atomic radius

As more electron shells are added to an atom moving down the periodic table, the atomic radius (the distance between the nucleus and the outermost electrons) increases. This makes the atoms larger in size. Additionally, the increase in atomic number going down a group results in a wider electron cloud and more electron-electron repulsion between the energy levels, further increasing the atomic size. In conclusion, according to the Bohr model of the atom, the size of atoms increases as we proceed down a group in the periodic table due to the addition of electron shells, occupying larger energy levels that are further from the nucleus and contributing to a wider electron cloud.

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According to the Bohr model, why do atoms get larger as you proceed down a group in the periodic table?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understand the Bohr model of an atom

Understand the structure of the periodic table

Explain the increase in atomic size as per the Bohr model

Relate the increase in atomic size with atomic radius

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