What is the atomic radius?

Atomic radius is a measurement of the size for atoms of a specific element. It indicates the distance between the atom core and the outer edge of its electrons or the distance between the two atomic nuclei. The atom does not have a solid structure, so its atomic radius is measured by distributing the distance between the nuclei of the atoms touches in half. The radius may vary for the same atom depending on whether it is connected or just next to another atom. The atomic size further decreases along each series of the periodic table in the accounting of alkaline metals to the noble gases and increases columns down. Helium has the smallest radius, while hydrogen, the lightest element, is the sixth of the lower size measurement and the cesium is the largest atom. Neutral atoms range in size from 0.3 to 3 angstromes and atoms and one electron ions can be measured by means of the bohr, detenaruused in orbit the lowest energy electron in the atom.

radius covalentlyBound atoms differ from the radius of touch of atoms. Atoms associated with electrons sharing, and radii of densely packed atoms, for example in a metal structure, are different than when the atoms are sitting side by side. The Van der Waals radius is used for atoms that are held together with weak attractions and not held together in the molecule. Adding electrons to the atom changes its atomic radius, so the ion radius may vary depending on how many electrons of the orbit around the ion.

The atomic radius

is based on the principle that atoms are balls. This is not exactly and the model of the sphere is only an approximate representation. The idea of ​​spherical atoms helps to explain and predict how thick liquids and solids are, how atoms are arranged in crystals and calculate molecular shapes. Atoms increase in radius over the rows of periodic tables, but dramatically increase between noble gases at the end of the series or period periods and alkaline metal starting in the next row. This concept was used in the development of quantum theory and is logical in relation to electron shell theory, which explains how many electrons can be in any particular orbit.