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The positive charge of the nucleus is greater and it draws the electrons closer to the center of the atom. Since the electrons are responsible for the total size of the atom the atom gets smaller and smaller.

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15y ago
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15y ago

The size of an atom gets smaller from left to right on the Periodic Table because as you move to the right the amount of protons in the nucleus of the atom increases. This increases the positive charge of the nucleus itself or what is called the atoms nuclear charge. With this increase in charge, you see an increase in the attractive forces for the negatively charged electrons in the outer shells of the atom. This attractive forces pulls the electron cloud closer to the nucleus causing the atom itself to be smaller as you go to the right on the periodic table.

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11y ago

Across a period, the number of protons increases, so the effective nuclear charge increases. Hence the force of attraction between the nucleus and the valence electrons increases and the radius / size decreases.

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12y ago

As you move from left to right across the periodic table, the number of protons in the nucleus of each successive atom increases by one. Correspondingly, the number of electrons also increases by one. However, if the elements in question are on the same energy level, the added ''pull" of the protons serves to pull the orbiting electrons closer to the nucleus, thus causing the radius of the atom to become smalller as you move from left to right. As you move down the periodic table, atoms get larger. As you move down the table, you continue to add protons and electrons. However, you also add energy levels and, in so doing, the orbiting (and available) electrons get further from the nucleus and the pull of the protons. It is the distance between protons and available electrons that allows the radius of the atoms to get larger. It also explains why reactivity increases as you go down the table. The pull of protons on the available electrons of small atoms is much greater than the pull of protons on the available electrons of large atoms, so the large atoms release their electrons much more readily.

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11y ago

Atoms get smaller bacause the amount of protons, nuetrons, and electrons need to form the atom get smaller moving vertically. For example the first element is Hydrgen(H) and only uses 1 proton and 1 electron. It only uses one ring in its electron cloud. The third element, Lithium(Li), would have 3 protons and electrons meaning it has two rings being used. Moving from Li up to H, Hydrogen would be smaller since it has less of a diameter.

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11y ago

As you move across the period, the atomic number increases and this means there is also an equal increase in the number of protons and electrons.

As the number of protons increases, so does the effective nuclear charge. This charge or force pulls the electrons closer to the nucleus of the atom. So, when you move across a period, the size of the atom decreases.

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13y ago

Because the nuclear charge is increasing, meaning the electrons in the same energy levels are more tightly held.

As you go down the table, the charge is also increasing, but in this case the electrons also have higher energy.

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15y ago

Because its atomic radius gets smaller and its nucleus holds its electrons tighter.

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15y ago

I think the reason is called nuclear attraction. As more electrons are added a force squishes them closer and tighter together.

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Q: Why does the atomic radius decrease when going from left to right on the periodic table?
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Atomic size, number of shells (or energy levels) and electropositivity increases down a group on the periodic table.


What property increases going down the periodic table?

Your question is incorrect. It should be increases rather than decreases. Well it is the proton number (Z) that increases.


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Atomic radius increases going down the periodic table and going from right to left, meaning that Fr (Francium) has the largest atomic radius and He (Helium) has the smallest. Therefore, Cl<S<P<Si<Al So the answer is Cl


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