Environmental Chemistry

Unit 2 P-AoL: Modeling Periodic Trends

LT: I can evaluate and communicate information about trends in the periodic
table.

In addition to the basic trends for Valence Electrons, Ionic Charge and Electron Configurations there are four
other trends that can be identified in the periodic table that help Chemists think about the elements and their
properties. These trends include: Electronegativity, Ionization Energy, Atomic Radius, and Ionic Radius.
These trends can be defined as follows:

Electronegativity: Describes the tendency of an atom to attract electrons (or electron density) towards itself
in a chemical bond.
Ionization Energy: Ionization energy describes the amount of energy required to remove the outermost
valence electron from an atom.
Atomic Radius: Describes the size of a neutrally charged atom.
ionic Radius: Describes the size of a positively or negatively charged ion.

In this project you will use straws to build a simple model to discover and show the general trend for one of
these four properties of elements.

Materials:
● Plastic Straws ● A plastic ruler
● Scissors ● A calculator
● A spotwell ● Periodic Table

Procedures:
1. Use the linked spreadsheet to locate the data set for the different trends (Electronegativity, Ionization
Energy, Atomic Radius, or Ionic Radius).
2. Visually scan the data set and identify the highest value for that trend.
a. Create a ratio that relates the value for the trend to a length of 10cm.
b. Add an extra centimeter to this value and cut the straw that represents this element to a length
of 11.0 centimeters.
c. Place the straw in the spot well in the correct row and column representing that element’s
position on the Periodic Table of elements. Ignore and omit the transition metals (columns 3-12
of the periodic table).
Sample Calculations:

● Ionization Energy for Helium = 2372 ● Ionization Energy for Aluminum = 577
10 10 𝑥
10: 2372 or 2372 2372
= 577

10𝑐𝑚 + 1 = 11𝑐𝑚 577 × ( 10

2372 )= 𝑥
→ Cut to 11cm
𝑥 = 577 × 0. 004215
𝑥 = 2. 432
𝑥 ≈ 2. 4
2. 4𝑐𝑚 + 1 = 3. 4𝑐𝑚
→ Cut to 3.4cm

3. Use the ratio you created in the previous step to create a proportion for each other element.
a. Solve the proportion to determine the correct length of each straw. Add an extra centimeter to
each straw and place it in the correct position.
4. Study your completed model and identify any notable patterns or trends
a. Make note of any exceptions to these trends
b. Compose a constructed response summarizing your understanding of the trend.
5. Use a folded index card to create a label to be displayed with your model.
a. Include the Name of your trend and an illustration showing the shape of the periodic table and
the direction of the trend in any row or column.
b. Also include the names of the members of your group, class period and date.
c. Take a picture of your model with the display card to include in your individual reflection. Upload
the image into this document.

Assessment:
Write a summary of the periodic trends. Your summary should include...
❏ A well developed introduction, body, and conclusion
❏ 2-3 pages in total length. Typed in Times New Roman 11pt font.
🗹 Describe your role in the project and contribution to the project.
🗹 BE SPECIFIC!
❏ A definition and description of the trend described in the model.
🗹 Documentation of original student work that includes:
(if you don't have a phone to capture the image to upload to docs and cannot find a peer to email it to
you, please let me know)
🗹 A picture of your model with it’s display card
🗹 A Picture of your MEAT(+) paragraph from today’s class.
🗹 Pictures of calculations etc.
❏ A description of the trend and any notable exceptions
🗹 An explanation of why the trend occurs.
🗹 A brief overview of the other three periodic trends.
 Exemplary Proficient Developing Beginning
(4) (3) (2) (1)

The student has made a The student has made a

clear and exceptional genuine effort to meet the The student has not made
The student has met the
effort to go above and requirements of the a genuine effort to meet
described requirements of
beyond the basic assignment but has not the requirements of the
the assignment.
requirements of the fully demonstrated all assignment.
assignment. components.

All criteria for a three (3) are The individual reflection The individual reflection One or more of the required
met. includes A well developed includes A well developed components for (2) or (3) are
introduction, body, and introduction, body, and missing
-AND- conclusion. conclusion.
-OR-
The paper contains multiple -AND- -AND-
supporting examples and Grammatical, spelling, or
documentation of the students The reflection specifically The reflection describes the usage errors interfere with
specific role and describes the student’s role in student’s role in the project the clarity or meaning of the
contributions the project and contribution and contribution to the writing
to the project. project but is not specific.
-OR-
-AND- -AND-
The writing and pictures
display exceptional clarity
A definition and description The definition and
and craftsmanship
of the trend described in the description of the trend
model. incorrect or incomplete.

-AND- -AND-

A picture of your model with A picture of the model is

it’s display card with a included but the display card
complete MEAT(+) or complete MEAT(+)
paragraph paragraph are missing

-AND- -AND-

An explanation of why the The explanation of why the

trend occurs based on the trend occurs is given but is
attractive and repulsive forces incorrect or does not relate to
within the atom and the the forces or structure of the
structure of the atom. atom.

-AND- -AND-

A brief overview of the other Other periodic trends are

three periodic trends. included but are poorly
described.
-AND-
Contains some grammatical,
Is largely free of spelling, or usage errors.
grammatical, spelling, or
usage errors.
Model: Note: It may seem that someone else edited this, but that was my other account.
 Trend: First Ionization Energy

1) Draw an arrow across the periodic table indicating the relative direction across a row in which the
trend increases.
a) Does this trend increase or decrease when moving from left to right across any row in the
periodic table?
This trend increases when moving from left to right.

2) Draw an arrow across the periodic table indicating the relative direction in a vertical column in which
the trend increases.
a) Does this trend increase or decrease when moving from top to bottom down any column in
the periodic table?
This trend decreases when going from top to bottom.

Exceptions:
List any exceptions to the trend described in the space below:
The exceptions to this trend are hydrogen, boron, nitrogen, sulfur, aluminum, and bismuth.

Constructed Response
Compose your paragraph in the space provided.
To understand why the trend for first ionization energy exists, we first must understand what first

ionization energy is. It is the amount of energy required to remove the outermost valence electron of an atom.

The amount of energy required changes for each individual atom, but the general trend is the amount of

energy required increases the further to the right and to the top of the periodic table. This trend exists because

the elements at the top right hand corner have more electronegativity, so they tend to have a stronger hold on

their electrons. Electron configuration also plays a role. Atoms that are bigger have more electrons, and they

have less of a hold on their outer electrons, since the inner electrons block some of the charge. Also, elements

with one valence electron, the alkali metals group, will have a lower first ionization energy, and elements with
a full outer shell, the noble gases, will have a higher first ionization energy. One exception to this is

Hydrogen. It is in group one, but it is a nonmetal, and has more in common with the right side of the periodic

table. It also has 1 proton and 1 electron, both very close together, so it is really hard to remove that electron.

These patterns mean that the trend can be easily modeled.

 Summary and Individual Reflection

Electronegativity, atomic radius, first ionisation energy, and ionic radius are closely related properties

that all have one thing in common. These are the properties that show a clear trend on the periodic table. They

increase or decrease down a row, and do the same down a column. There are a few elements that stick out, but

they are exceptions. This makes the properties easy to model. For this project, the property I chose to model was

first ionization energy.

To understand why the trend for first ionization energy exists, we first must understand what first

ionization energy is. It is the amount of energy required to remove the outermost valence electron of an atom.

The amount of energy required changes for each individual atom, but the general trend is the amount of energy

required increases the further to the right and to the top of the periodic table. This trend exists because the

elements at the top right hand corner have more electronegativity, so they tend to have a stronger hold on their

electrons. Electron configuration also plays a role. Atoms that are bigger have more electrons, and they have

less of a hold on their outer electrons, since the inner electrons block some of the charge. Also, elements with

one valence electron, the alkali metals group, will have a lower first ionization energy, and elements with a full

outer shell, the noble gases, will have a higher first ionization energy. One exception to this is hydrogen. It is in

group one, but it is a nonmetal, and has more in common with the right side of the periodic table. It also has 1

proton and 1 electron, both very close together, so it is really hard to remove that electron. Another exception is

nitrogen, because it has a larger first ionization energy than the element after it. These patterns mean that the

trend can be easily modeled.

I did exactly that, using plastic straws, cardboard, scissors, a ruler, paint, and math. First, I calculated the

length each straw should be by multiplying x over an element’s specific ionization energy by 10/1312, and

adding 1 centimeter to the product. I wrote down each value (rounded to the tenths place) in a chart, and cut

each straw to that specific length, and then painted them, one row at a time. The color that I painted them

depended on which group they belonged to. It was blue for alkali metals, green for alkaline earth metals, yellow

for post-transition metals, purple for metalloids, red for nonmetals, and pink for noble gases. To organize the
straws, I used cardboard, since I didn’t have a spotwell. I carved holes in the cardboard with scissors and a pen,

then placed the straws in them, organized into rows mirroring that of the actual periodic table. Lastly, I made the

display card for the model.

The three trends I did not model, electronegativity, atomic radius, and ionic radius, also follow a pattern

on the periodic table. Electronegativity is an atom’s ability to keep its valence electrons. If an atom has less

electronegativity, it easily loses electrons. If it has greater electronegativity, it loses electrons with difficulty.

Electronegativity is strongest in the top right corner, and weakest in the bottom left corner. Atomic radius is

defined as half the distance between the nuclei of two covalently bonded atoms. It is measured this way because

it is impossible to define a clear perimeter for an atom. Atomic radius follows the same trend as

electronegativity, because the two properties are related. If an atom has stronger electronegativity, the electrons

will be closer to the protons, making the atom smaller. If it has weaker electronegativity, the electrons will be

farther away, so the atom will be bigger. Ionic radius, also known as the Van Der Waals radius, is similar to

atomic radius. Ionic radius is the radius of an atom when it is a positive or negative ion. Not every element has a

measured atomic radius, so it is impossible to make a full model, however we can see that the ionic radius is

smaller in the upper left corner, and larger in the lower right corner. Some atoms don’t have an ionic radius at

all. These are either man-made elements, which are too unstable to exist long enough to form an ion, or noble

gasses, which don’t naturally form ions.

Therefore, each of these properties are related to one another. The trends of electronegativity, atomic

radius, and first ionization energy are exactly the same: the trend is weaker at the bottom left corner of the

periodic table, and stronger at the top right corner of the periodic table. These trends are easily modeled on a

periodic table, and can even be shown with arrows. I specifically modeled the trend of first ionization energy

using straws. The presence of these trends show how orderly chemistry is, and at the same time, how

mysterious.