Which of the following trends can be observed when moving down a column in the Periodic Table?
Question 1 options:
The atomic mass decreases.
The number of valence electrons remains the same.
The number of orbitals decreases.
The possible number of bonds formed decreases.
The number of valence electrons remains the same.
When moving down a column in the Periodic Table, the observed trend is that the atomic mass increases.
To determine which trend can be observed when moving down a column in the Periodic Table, we need to analyze the properties of elements in the table.
The first option, "The atomic mass decreases," is incorrect. Moving down a column, also known as a group or a family, in the Periodic Table, the atomic mass generally increases rather than decreases. This is because as you move down a group, the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom generally increases, adding to the atomic mass.
The second option, "The number of valence electrons remains the same," is also incorrect. When moving down a column in the Periodic Table, the number of valence electrons generally increases. Valence electrons are the electrons located in the outermost energy level of an atom. Moving down a group, additional energy levels or shells are added, which leads to an increase in the number of valence electrons.
The third option, "The number of orbitals decreases," is incorrect as well. As you move down a column in the Periodic Table, the number of orbitals increases. Orbitals are the regions within an energy level where electrons are likely to be found. Each energy level can have a certain number of orbitals (s, p, d, etc.), and as you move down a group, additional energy levels are added, increasing the number of orbitals available.
The correct option is the fourth one, "The possible number of bonds formed decreases." Moving down a column in the Periodic Table, the possible number of bonds formed by an element generally decreases. This is because the number of valence electrons increases as you move down, making the outermost energy level more stable. Elements at the top of a group generally have fewer valence electrons and are more likely to form bonds with other elements to achieve a stable electron configuration. As you move down, the outermost energy level becomes more distant from the nucleus, and the increased shielding effect reduces the tendency to form bonds.
Therefore, the correct trend that can be observed when moving down a column in the Periodic Table is that the possible number of bonds formed decreases.