The term nuclear charge refers to the precise charge of the nucleus, which, in units of fundamental charge, is equal to the number of protons, Z. The term effective nuclear charge is used to mean the apparent charge that determines the radius of the outermost electron(s) in an atom. Which quantity below can be used to approximate the effective nuclear charge by accounting for shielding by the inner electrons?

Select the correct answer below:

2Z

Z+ the number of shielding electrons

Z− the number of shielding electrons

the number of shielding electrons

The atomic radius of sodium is 186 pm and of chlorine is 100 pm. the ionic radius for na+ is 102 pm and for cl– is 181 pm. in going from na to cl in period 3, why does the atomic radius decrease while the ionic radius increases? a. the inner electrons in the sodium cation shield its valence electrons more effectively than the inner electrons in the chloride anion do. b. the inner electrons shield the valence electrons more effectively in the chlorine atom than in the chloride anion. c. the outermost electrons in chloride experience a smaller effective nuclear charge than those in the sodium cation do. d. the outermost electrons in chloride experience a larger effective nuclear charge than those in the sodium cation do. e. monatomic ions are bigger than the atoms from which they are formed.