Final answer:
Magnesium has a larger atomic radius and higher binding energy than beryllium because it is located lower on the periodic table and has more nucleons, respectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the comparison of binding energy and atomic radius between beryllium and magnesium. These two elements belong to the group of alkaline earth metals. As a general trend, as we move down a group in the periodic table, the atomic radius increases due to the addition of new energy levels. Therefore, magnesium, being lower than beryllium in the periodic table, has a larger atomic radius than beryllium.
Regarding binding energy, experimental results suggest that the binding energy of nuclei is generally proportional to the mass number (A), which represents the combined number of protons and neutrons. Beryllium has an atomic number of 4, and magnesium has an atomic number of 12. Given this, magnesium should have a higher binding energy than beryllium because it has more nucleons, thus a greater mass number. However, it's also worth mentioning that the most stable element with the highest binding energy is iron, with a mass number of 56.