______ determines the magnitude of the force of attraction exerted by the nucleus on the outermost electrons

Question 8Select one:

a.
The difference between the positive value of the nucleus and the negative value of the electrons

b.
The height of energy gap between the principal quantum numbers

c.
The magnitude of effective nuclear charge

d.
The amount of energy differences between the principal quantum numbers

c. The magnitude of effective nuclear charge

c. The magnitude of effective nuclear charge

The correct answer is:

c. The magnitude of effective nuclear charge

Explanation:

The magnitude of the force of attraction exerted by the nucleus on the outermost electrons is determined by the magnitude of effective nuclear charge. Effective nuclear charge refers to the net positive charge experienced by an electron in an atom. It takes into account the shielding effect of inner electrons.

To calculate the effective nuclear charge, you need to consider the difference between the total positive charge of the nucleus and the shielding effect of inner electrons. This difference determines the attractive force that the positively-charged nucleus exerts on the negatively-charged outer electrons.

It's important to note that options a, b, and d in the question are not accurate descriptions of what determines the magnitude of the force of attraction. Option a refers to the overall charge difference in the atom, not just the force of attraction. Option b refers to the energy difference between different energy levels, not the force of attraction itself. Option d refers to energy differences between principal quantum numbers, which are related to energy levels but not directly to the force of attraction. Therefore, option c is the correct answer.