Final answer:
Electrons do not experience the nuclear charge uniformly due to the shielding effect of inner electrons, leading to different effective nuclear charges felt by each electron based on their energy level and distance from the nucleus.
Step-by-step explanation:
Not all electrons experience nuclear charge the same way due to differences in both their energy levels and the shielding effect. Electrons closest to the nucleus are more strongly attracted due to the proximity to the positive charge. As electrons are added to an atom, they tend to fill the innermost shells first, which are closer and have a stronger attraction to the nucleus. These inner electrons can shield the outer electrons from the full force of the nuclear charge, leading to a reduced effective nuclear charge (Zeff) felt by electrons in higher energy levels.
Electrons within the same principal energy level poorly shield each other from the nuclear charge, while those in filled inner shells are much more effective at this. As a result, outer electron experience a lesser nuclear charge compared to inner electrons. The attractive forces within atoms are complex; with larger atoms, additional protons and electrons are present, which alters how electrons experience nuclear attraction. Therefore, the effective nuclear charge experienced by an electron depends on its own energy level and the overall electron distribution within the atom.