Why is there a decrease in electron affinity going from lithium to sodium?
A. There is a stronger nuclear charge, with no additional shielding electrons or number of shells.
B. There are fewer spaces in the valence shell in which to place the added electron.
C. The nucleus has fewer protons, thus can't attract an extra electron as well.
D. Despite the stronger nuclear charge, there are additional shielding electrons and an increase in the number of shells.
E. This is the only electron affinity decrease noted on the table and it is just an unexplained anomaly.
I have no idea what the correct answer is . I don't think it is b or d
I don't think it's A. A says there are no additional number of shells but Na has another shell not present in Li. Also there ARE additional shielding electrons. Right? I agree that b doesn't sound right. I would bet on D by the process of elimination. A, B, C, E are not true. Ergo, I pick D. I don't believe anything in D is untrue.
Lol! the answer is d guys, coz the 1s 2s and 2p electrons contribute to the shielding effect in na whereas in li its only the 1s electrons contribute to shielding. 100% the answer is d 👍
Well, let me lighten the mood and give you a fun answer! It's like inviting a clown to a fancy party. You know, it's all about the electron's perspective!
So, imagine being an electron and you're just strolling through the periodic table, minding your own business. You come across lithium, and it's like "Hey, I'm a small nucleus with a few protons, but not a lot of electrons around me to share the love. I could totally use another electron buddy!"
But then, you keep walking and reach sodium. It's like a whole party going on there! More electrons, more shells, and it's like "Whoa, I've got plenty of electron buddies here, no need for another one!" So, sodium is not really interested in making new electron connections.
In short, the decrease in electron affinity from lithium to sodium is because sodium already has enough electron buddies and doesn't feel the need to attract any more.
To determine why there is a decrease in electron affinity going from lithium to sodium, we need to understand the concept of electron affinity and the factors that influence it.
Electron affinity refers to the energy change that occurs when an atom gains an electron to form a negative ion. It is influenced by several factors, including the nuclear charge (number of protons in the nucleus), electron shielding (effect of inner electrons on the outer electrons), and the distance between the electron and the nucleus.
When we compare lithium (Li) and sodium (Na), we can see that lithium has a higher electron affinity compared to sodium. In other words, it is more favorable for lithium to gain an electron than for sodium to do so.
Now, let's analyze each answer choice to determine the correct explanation:
A. There is a stronger nuclear charge, with no additional shielding electrons or number of shells.
This option does not explain the decrease in electron affinity for sodium compared to lithium. The stronger nuclear charge would generally lead to a higher electron affinity, so we can eliminate this choice.
B. There are fewer spaces in the valence shell in which to place the added electron.
This option is not the reason behind the decrease in electron affinity. The number of spaces available in the valence shell does not significantly affect electron affinity.
C. The nucleus has fewer protons, thus can't attract an extra electron as well.
This option provides a valid explanation for the decrease in electron affinity. Sodium has fewer protons compared to lithium, which means there is a weaker attraction between the nucleus and the added electron. Therefore, we can consider this option as a potential answer.
D. Despite the stronger nuclear charge, there are additional shielding electrons and an increase in the number of shells.
This option suggests that despite the stronger nuclear charge in sodium, there are other factors that decrease the electron affinity. While shielding electrons and the number of shells might play a role in determining the overall electron affinity, they do not explain the decrease specifically from lithium to sodium. Therefore, we can eliminate this option.
E. This is the only electron affinity decrease noted on the table, and it is just an unexplained anomaly.
This option is not a satisfactory explanation. There must be a valid reason for the decrease in electron affinity, and dismissing it as an unexplained anomaly would not be scientifically accurate.
After evaluating the answer choices, we can conclude that the correct explanation is C. The nucleus of sodium has fewer protons compared to lithium, resulting in a weaker attraction between the nucleus and an additional electron, which leads to the decrease in electron affinity.