Properties of the Elements in Period 3

 Elements in the periodic table are arranged in order of increasing atomic number and placed
in vertical columns (groups) and horizontal rows (periods)

 The elements across the periods show repeating patterns in chemical and physical
properties

 This is called periodicity

 All elements are arranged in the order of increasing atomic number from left to right

Atomic radius

 The atomic radius is the distance between the nucleus and the outermost electron of an
atom

 The atomic radius is measured by taking two atoms of the same element, measuring the
distance between their nuclei and then halving this distance

 In metals this is also called the metallic radius and in non-metals, the covalent radius

The atomic radius gives a measure of the size of atoms

Atomic radii of Period 3 elements table

 Across the period, the atomic radii decrease

 This is because the number of protons (the nuclear charge) and the number
of electrons increases by one every time you go an element to the right

 The elements in a period all have the same number of shells (so the shielding effect is the
same)
 This means that as you go across the period the nucleus attracts the electrons more strongly
pulling them closer to the nucleus

 Because of this, the atomic radius (and thus the size of the atoms) decreases across the
period

Ionic radius

 The ionic radius is the distance between the nucleus and the outermost electron of an ion

 Metals produce positively charged ions (cations) whereas nonmetals produce negatively
charged ions (anions)

 The cations have lost their valence electrons which causes them to be much smaller than
their parent atoms

 Because there are less electrons, this also means that there is less shielding of the outer
electrons

 Going across the period from Na+ to Si4+ the ions get smaller due to the increasing nuclear
charge attracting the outer electrons in the second principal quantum shell nucleus (which
has an increasing atomic number)

 The anions are larger than their original parent atoms because each atom has gained one or
more electrons in their third principal quantum shell

 This increases the repulsion between electrons, while the nuclear charge is still the same,
causing the electron cloud to spread out

 Going across P3- to Cl- the ionic radii decreases as the nuclear charge increases across the
period and fewer electrons are gained by the atoms (P gains 3 electrons, S 2 electrons and Cl
1 electron)

Ionic radii of ions of Period 3 elements table

Melting point

 Melting points of the elements across Period 3 table

 

Electrical conductivity

 Electrical conductivity refers to how well a substance can conduct electricity

 Unlike the melting points, the electrical conductivity of the Period 3 elements shows a clear
trend

 Going across the period, the general trend for electrical conductivity of the
elements decreases significantly

o It increases from Na to Al and then decreases for the other elements

Period 3: Structure & Bonding

Bonding & structure of the elements table

 The table shows that Na, Mg and Al are metallic elements which form positive ions arranged
in a giant lattice in which the ions are held together by a 'sea' of delocalised electrons
around them
Metal cations form a giant lattice held together by electrons that can freely move around

 The electrons in the ‘sea’ of delocalised electrons are those from the valence shell of the
atoms

 Na will donate one electron into the ‘sea’ of delocalised electrons, Mg will donate two
and Al three electrons

 As a result of this, the metallic bonding in Al is stronger than in Na

 This is because the electrostatic forces between a 3+ ion and the larger number of negatively
charged delocalised electrons is much larger compared to a 1+ ion and the smaller number
of delocalised electrons in Na

 Because of this, the melting points increase going from Na to Al

 Si has the highest melting point due to its giant molecular structure in which each Si atom is
held to its neighbouring Si atoms by strong covalent bonds

 P, S, Cl and Ar are non-metallic elements and exist as simple molecules (P4, S8, Cl2 and Ar as a
single atom)

 The covalent bonds within the molecules are strong, however, between the molecules,
there are only weak instantaneous dipole-induced dipole forces

 It doesn’t take much energy to break these intermolecular forces

  Therefore, the melting points decrease going from P to Ar (note that the melting point of S is
higher than that of P as sulphur exists as larger S8 molecules compared to the smaller
P4 molecule)

Electrical conductivity

 The electrical conductivity generally decreases going across the Period 3 elements

Electrical conductivity decreases Period 3 elements table

 Going from Na to Al, there is an increase in the number of valence electrons that are
donated to the ‘sea’ of delocalised electrons

 Because of this, in Al there are more electrons available to move around through the
structure when it conducts electricity, making Al a better electrical conductor than Na

 Due to the giant molecular structure of Si, there are no delocalised electrons that can freely
move around within the structure

 Si is therefore not a good electrical conductor and is classified as a semimetal (metalloid)

 The lack of delocalised electrons is also why P and S cannot conduct electricity

Period 3: Oxides

Reactions with oxygen & chlorine

Reaction of Period 3 elements with oxygen table

Reaction of Period 3 elements with chlorine table

Reaction of sodium & magnesium with water

 Sodium reacts vigorously with cold water:

2Na(s) + 2H2O(l) → 2NaOH(aq) + H2(g)

 The sodium melts into a ball and moves across the water surface until it disappears

 Hydrogen gas is given off

 The solution formed is strongly alkaline (pH 14) due to the sodium hydroxide which is
formed
The diagram shows the reaction of sodium with cold water

 Magnesium reacts extremely slowly with cold water:

Mg(s) + 2H2O(l) → Mg(OH)2(aq) + H2(g)

 The solution formed is weakly alkaline (pH 11) as the formed magnesium hydroxide is
only slightly soluble

 When magnesium is heated, it reacts vigorously with steam (water) to make magnesium
oxide and hydrogen gas:

Mg(s) + H2O(g) → MgO(s) + H2(g)

Oxidation Number of the Period 3 Oxides

 Oxygen is more electronegative than any of the Period 3 elements

The Pauling scale shows the electronegativities of the elements in the periodic table. Oxygen has a
higher electronegativity than any of the Period 3 elements which is why the Period 3 elements will
have positive oxidation states and the oxygen a negative oxidation state in the oxides of Period 3
elements

 The Period 3 elements therefore have positive oxidation states in their oxides and the
oxygen has a negative oxidation state of -2

Oxidation states of the Period 3 elements in their oxides

Formulae of the oxides of the Period 3 elements & their oxidation states table

Reaction of Period 3 Oxides & Water

 Not all Period 3 oxides react with or are soluble in water

Reaction of Period 3 oxides with water table

Acid / Base Behaviour of Period 3 Oxides & Hydroxides

Period 3 oxides

 Aluminium oxide is amphoteric which means that it can act both as a base (and react with an
acid such as HCl) and an acid (and react with a base such as NaOH)

Acidic & basic nature of the Period 3 oxides

Reactions of the Period 3 oxides with acid/base table

  The acidic and basic nature of the Period 3 elements can be explained by looking at
their structure, bonding and the Period 3 elements’ electronegativity

Structure, bonding & electronegativity of the Period 3 elements table

  The difference in electronegativity between oxygen and Na, Mg and Al is the largest

 Electrons will therefore be transferred to oxygen when forming oxides giving the oxide
an ionic bonding

 The oxides of Si, P and S will share the electrons with the oxygen to form covalently
bonded oxides

 The giant ionic and giant covalent structured oxides will have high melting points as it is
difficult to break the structures apart

The diagram shows the structure of some Period 3 oxides

 The oxides of Na and Mg which show purely ionic bonding produce alkaline solutions with
water as their oxide ions (O2-) become hydroxide ions (OH-):

O2-(aq) + H2O(l) → 2OH-(aq)

 The oxides of P and S which show purely covalent bonding produce acidic solutions with
water because when these oxides react with water, they form an acid which donates H+ ions
to water
 o Eg. SO3 reacts with water as follows:

SO3(g) + H2O(l) → H2SO4(aq)

o The H2SO4 is an acid which will donate a H+ to water:

H2SO4(aq) + H2O(l) → H3O+ (aq) + HSO4-(aq)

 Al and Si are insoluble and when they react with hot, concentrated alkaline solution they
act as a base and form a salt

o This behaviour is very typical of a covalently bonded oxide

 Al can also react with acidic solutions to form a salt and water

o This behaviour is very typical of an ionic bonded metal oxide

 This behaviour of Al proves that the chemical bonding in aluminium oxide is not
purely ionic nor covalent: it is amphoteric

Period 3 hydroxide

 NaOH is a strong base and will react with acids to form a salt and water:

NaOH(aq) + HCl(aq) → NaCl(aq) + H2O(l)

 Mg(OH)2 is also a basic compound which is often used in indigestion remedies by neutralising
the excess acid in the stomach to relieve pain:

Mg(OH)2(s) + 2HCl(aq) → MgCl2(aq) + 2H2O(l)

 Al(OH)3 is amphoteric and can acts both as an acid and base:

Al(OH)3(s) + 3HCl(aq) → AlCl3(s) + 3H2O(l)

Al(OH)3(s) + NaOH(aq) → NaAl(OH)4(aq)

Reaction of Period 3 Chlorides & Water

 Chlorides of Period 3 elements show characteristic behaviour when added to water which
can be explained by looking at their chemical bonding and structure

Chemical bonding & structure of Period 3 chlorides table

Sodium & magnesium chloride

 NaCl and MgCl2 do not react with water as the polar water molecules are attracted to the
ions dissolving the chlorides and breaking down the giant ionic structures: the metal and
chloride ions become hydrated ions
The diagram shows water molecules breaking down the giant ionic structure of NaCl and MgCl 2 to
form hydrated ions

Aluminium chloride

 Aluminium chloride exists in two forms:

o AlCl3 as a giant lattice and with ionic bonds

o Al2Cl6 as a dimer with covalent bonds

The two forms in which aluminium chloride exists

 When water is added to aluminium chloride the dimers are broken down and Al3+ and Cl- ions
enter the solution

 The highly charged Al3+ ion becomes hydrated and causes a water molecule that is bonded to
the Al3+ to lose an H+ ion which turns the solution acidic

 The H+ and the Cl- form hydrogen chloride gas which is given off as white fumes
The hydrated aluminium causes a water molecule to lose a H+ ion turning the solution acidic

Silicon chloride

 SiCl4 is hydrolysed in water, releasing white fumes of hydrogen chloride gas in

a rapid reaction

SiCl4(l) + 2H2O(l) → SiO2(s) + 4HCl(g)

 The SiO2 is seen as a white precipitate and some of the hydrogen chloride gas produced
dissolves in water to form an acidic solution

Phosphorus(V) chloride

 PCl5 also gets hydrolysed in water

PCl5(s) + 4H2O(l) → H3PO4(aq) + 5HCl(g)

 Both H3PO4 and dissolved HCl are highly acidic