Which will experience the greater effect nuclear charge,
the electrons in the n = 2 shell in F or the n = 2 shell in B?
Which will be closer to the nucleus?

Question

Accepted Answer

hey everyone in this example, we need to determine which between chlorine and bromine has the lower effective nuclear charge experienced by the third energy level electrons, we need to identify which of these atoms will be farther from the nucleus. So what we should recall is that for the shielding of our electrons at the third energy level we would be shielded by Our one us to us and two P sublevel core electrons. We would say that this shielding by these core electrons is going to be approximately equal between chlorine and bromine. And that is due to the fact that roaming is just one energy level up from chlorine because it lies on the Fourth Energy level of our periodic tables being across period four. And because this prompt is only asking us to think of the experience of the third energy level electrons, we're going to assume that the one S two s and two p sublevel core electrons are going to have equal shielding between both chlorine and bromine. And based on this assumption, we're going to say that therefore the effective nuclear charge will increase as our atomic number, which we should recall is represented by the symbol Z increases. And so what we can say is that comparing between chlorine and bromine, we would recognize that chlorine has the atomic number or Z value equal to 17, whereas bromine has the atomic number or Z value equal to 35. And so because we recognize that chlorine has the lower atomic number, it's going to therefore have a lower value for the effective nuclear charge at the electrons in the third energy level. And so we would say that therefore the electrons at the third energy level are going to be farther from the nucleus due to their lower value of effective nuclear charge. And so this, just to be clear, says further so we can go ahead and confirm that for our final answer, our answer is going to be chlorine because it's going to have electrons further from its nucleus. So this is our final answer. To complete this example. If you have any questions, please leave them down below. Otherwise, I will see everyone in the next practice video.

Which will experience the greater effect nuclear charge, the electrons in the n = 2 shell in F or the n = 2 shell in B? Which will be closer to the nucleus?

Verified Solution

Key Concepts

Effective Nuclear Charge (Z_eff)

Electron Shells and Energy Levels

Comparison of Atomic Structure in Elements