Multiple Choice
Which of the following is a property of metals?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
Periodic Trend: Metallic Character
Multiple Choice
In which directions on the periodic table does metallic character (metal reactivity) generally increase?
A
Down a group and to the left across a period
B
Up a group and to the right across a period
C
Down a group and to the right across a period
D
Up a group and to the left across a period
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that metallic character refers to how readily an element can lose electrons to form positive ions, which is related to metal reactivity.
Recall that as you move down a group in the periodic table, atomic size increases, making it easier for atoms to lose electrons, so metallic character increases down a group.
Recall that as you move from left to right across a period, atoms hold their electrons more tightly due to increasing nuclear charge, so metallic character decreases across a period from left to right.
Combine these trends: metallic character increases down a group and decreases from left to right across a period, meaning it increases to the left across a period.
Therefore, the direction in which metallic character generally increases is down a group and to the left across a period.
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