Question

The periodic table of elements has predictable trends, one trend is in atomic structure. Review the elements in the periodic table.

a) The trend is random and has no basis in atomic structure.
b) The trend is in the number of neutrons in the atom.
c) The trend is in the atomic number, increasing from left to right.
d) The trend is in the size of atoms, decreasing as you move down the table.

Answer 1

The trend in the periodic table is in the atomic number, which increases from left to right c). The structure of the table reflects periodic trends in properties such as atomic size, which decreases across a period due to the increased nuclear charge.

Step-by-step explanation:

The trend you are asking about in the periodic table is related to the atomic number, which increases from left to right. This trend is an important aspect of the periodic law, stating that 'the properties of the elements are periodic functions of their atomic numbers.' The structure of the periodic table also allows us to observe trends in element properties such as atomic size, ionization energy, and electronegativity. For instance, atomic size typically increases going down a group and decreases moving from left to right across a period because of the increasing number of protons in the nucleus pulling on the valence electrons.