3.2.1.2 Physical properties of Period 3 elements

Question 1

What is the bonding of period 3 elements?

Answer 1

Sodium, magnesium and aluminium are metals with giant structures which lose their outer electrons to form ionic compounds
Silicon forms covalent bonds with some metallic properties
Phosphorous, sulfur and chlorine are non metals which accept electrons to become ionic compounds or form covalent bonds
Argon is unreactive

Question 2

What does phosphorous naturally exist as?

Answer 2

P4

Question 3

What does sulfur naturally exist as?

Answer 3

S8

Question 4

What does the graph look like for the boiling points of period three elements?

Answer 4

See card

Question 5

What is the atomic radii?

Answer 5

Half the distance between the centres of a pair of atoms

Question 6

How does the atomic radii change across period and groups?

Answer 6

Decreases across each period
Jump when starting the next period
Atoms get larger down any group

Question 7

Why do the atomic radii decrease across period 3?

Answer 7

Adding protons from left to right
This increased charge pulls the electrons closer to the nucleus
There is no additional electrons to provide more shielding
Therefore the size of the atom decreases as you go down the period