Question
How does the reactivity of neon (atomic number 10. Period Two, group 18) differ from that of sodium (atomic number 11, period three, group 1) explain your reasoning based on the properties of neon and sodium that you can infer based on their atomic numbers, periods, and groups.
Answers
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GPT-4o mini
The reactivity of neon and sodium is significantly different, and this can be explained by their respective positions in the periodic table, specifically their atomic numbers, periods, and groups.
1. **Group Classification**:
- **Neon (Ne)**: Neon is in Group 18, which contains the noble gases. Elements in this group are characterized by having a full outer electron shell, which gives them a stable electron configuration. Neon, with an atomic number of 10, has 8 electrons in its outer shell (2 in the first shell and 8 in the second shell). This full outer shell means that neon is chemically inert and does not readily react with other elements.
- **Sodium (Na)**: Sodium is in Group 1, which contains the alkali metals. Alkali metals have one electron in their outermost shell (in the case of sodium, it has 1 electron in the third shell). This single outer electron is easily lost, leading to the formation of a positively charged ion (Na⁺) and making sodium highly reactive. Sodium tends to react vigorously with nonmetals, such as chlorine, to achieve a stable electron configuration akin to the noble gases.
2. **Period Classification**:
- Neon is found in Period 2, while sodium is in Period 3. As you move down a group in the periodic table, the reactivity of the alkali metals increases due to the decreasing ionization energies. In contrast, the noble gases do not show a trend of increasing reactivity; instead, they remain stable and non-reactive across periods.
3. **Reasoning Based on Electron Configuration**:
- Neon has the electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p⁶, which results in a complete octet. This stability means neon does not need to gain, lose, or share electrons, leading to its very low reactivity.
- Sodium has the electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s¹, which means it seeks to lose one electron to achieve a stable octet configuration of the noble gas neon. This tendency to lose its one outer electron contributes to its high reactivity.
In summary, the reactivity of neon is virtually nonexistent due to its full outer electron shell, making it stable and inert. In contrast, sodium is highly reactive due to its single outer electron, which it readily loses in chemical reactions to achieve a more stable electronic configuration.
1. **Group Classification**:
- **Neon (Ne)**: Neon is in Group 18, which contains the noble gases. Elements in this group are characterized by having a full outer electron shell, which gives them a stable electron configuration. Neon, with an atomic number of 10, has 8 electrons in its outer shell (2 in the first shell and 8 in the second shell). This full outer shell means that neon is chemically inert and does not readily react with other elements.
- **Sodium (Na)**: Sodium is in Group 1, which contains the alkali metals. Alkali metals have one electron in their outermost shell (in the case of sodium, it has 1 electron in the third shell). This single outer electron is easily lost, leading to the formation of a positively charged ion (Na⁺) and making sodium highly reactive. Sodium tends to react vigorously with nonmetals, such as chlorine, to achieve a stable electron configuration akin to the noble gases.
2. **Period Classification**:
- Neon is found in Period 2, while sodium is in Period 3. As you move down a group in the periodic table, the reactivity of the alkali metals increases due to the decreasing ionization energies. In contrast, the noble gases do not show a trend of increasing reactivity; instead, they remain stable and non-reactive across periods.
3. **Reasoning Based on Electron Configuration**:
- Neon has the electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p⁶, which results in a complete octet. This stability means neon does not need to gain, lose, or share electrons, leading to its very low reactivity.
- Sodium has the electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s¹, which means it seeks to lose one electron to achieve a stable octet configuration of the noble gas neon. This tendency to lose its one outer electron contributes to its high reactivity.
In summary, the reactivity of neon is virtually nonexistent due to its full outer electron shell, making it stable and inert. In contrast, sodium is highly reactive due to its single outer electron, which it readily loses in chemical reactions to achieve a more stable electronic configuration.