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Periodic Trend: Effective Nuclear Charge definitions

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  • Effective Nuclear Charge
    Net attractive force on an electron from the nucleus, accounting for electron repulsion.
  • Shielding Effect
    Reduction in nuclear attraction on an electron due to repulsion by inner electrons.
  • Valence Electrons
    Electrons in the outermost shell of an atom, involved in chemical bonding.
  • Atomic Number
    Number of protons in an atom's nucleus, determining its element.
  • Shielding Constant
    Number of inner electrons reducing the effective nuclear charge on valence electrons.
  • Periodic Trend
    Pattern observed in the periodic table, such as increasing effective nuclear charge across periods.
  • Principal Quantum Number
    Symbolized as n, it indicates the shell number of an electron in an atom.
  • Electron Configuration
    Distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals, e.g., 1s2 2s2 2p6.
  • Protons
    Positively charged particles in an atom's nucleus, contributing to atomic number.
  • Nucleus
    Central part of an atom containing protons and neutrons, positively charged.
  • Repulsion
    Force pushing electrons apart due to their negative charges.
  • Attraction
    Force pulling electrons towards the positively charged nucleus.
  • Shell Number
    Indicates the energy level of electrons in an atom, related to distance from nucleus.
  • Core Electrons
    Electrons in inner shells, not involved in bonding, contributing to shielding.
  • Subshell
    Division of electron shells, designated as s, p, d, f, with specific shapes and capacities.