Question:
Explain the following:
(a) Electronegativity of elements increases on moving from left to right in the periodic table.
(b) Ionisation enthalpy decrease in a group from top to bottom?
Solution:
(a) As we move from left to right in a period, the size of the atoms decreases due to the increase in the effective nuclear charges on the outermost electron. As a result of which electronegativity of elements increases on moving from left to right in the periodic table.
(b) As we go down the group the atomic size increases which result in the increase in the distance of the electrons in the outermost shell as a result of which effective nuclear charge decreases. This results in a decrease of ionisation enthalpy.