what happens to the reactivity of metals from left to right across the periodic table?
The reactivity decreases as the number of valence electron increases. So metals with low number of valence electron can easily lose their electron as compared to metals with large number of valence electron.
They become less reactive. Na is more reactive than Mg which is more reactive than Al which is more reactive than Si.
1) B. Metals on the right have more protons, causing valence electrons to be held more strongly.
2) B. by gaining electrons
3) B. They are very nonreactive
4) A. Cs and Br
5) A. Rb loses an electron
The reactivity of metals generally decreases from left to right across the periodic table. This trend can be explained by the arrangement of electrons in the atoms of different metals.
To understand why reactivity changes, you can examine the atomic structure of metals. Metals lose electrons to form positive ions (cations) and tend to react with nonmetals, acquiring a more stable electron configuration.
As you move from left to right across the periodic table, the number of protons in the nucleus increases, resulting in a higher positive charge on the nucleus. This increased positive charge attracts the electrons more strongly, making it harder for the outermost electrons to be removed.
Additionally, the number of electron shells or energy levels remains relatively constant across a period. So, the increased nuclear charge (protons) has a greater influence because the electrons are in similar orbital shells.
Therefore, with an increasing nuclear charge and similar energy levels, the outermost electrons are held more tightly and are less likely to be lost during a reaction. This decreases the reactivity of metals as you move from left to right across the periodic table.
It is important to note that there are some exceptions to this trend, such as the reactivity of Group 1 metals (alkali metals) towards the end of the period. Alkali metals become more reactive as you move down the group due to the increased distance between the outermost electrons and the nucleus.
Overall, understanding the periodic trends and the atomic structure of elements can help explain the changes in reactivity across the periodic table.