Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
The two nuclei in a bromine molecule, , are apart. In solid potassium, neighbouring nuclei are apart. Find the covalent radius of bromine and the metallic radius of potassium.
Atomic radius falls across a period, because the nuclear charge grows while new electrons enter the same shell. It grows down a group, because each period adds a shell. A cation is smaller than its atom, an anion larger. In isoelectronic species, more protons mean a smaller particle. The covalent radius is half the distance between two bonded nuclei, and the metallic radius half the distance between neighbouring nuclei in a metal.
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. Bromine. The bond joins two identical atoms: .
Step 2. Potassium. Neighbouring atoms in the metal touch: .
Answer: the covalent radius of bromine is , and the metallic radius of potassium is .
Log in to join the discussion.
Loading…