Rank the following elements in order of increasing effective nuclear charge: Na,Mg,Cl,and S.
A)S

Question

Rank the following elements in order of increasing effective nuclear charge: Na,Mg,Cl,and S.
A)S < Cl < Mg < Na
B)Cl < Mg < Na < S
C)Mg < Na < Cl < S
D)Na < Mg < Cl < S

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Effective nuclear charge increases across a period from left to right due to the increase in protons, and decreases down a group. Therefore, Na < Mg (since they are in the same period with Na to the left of Mg) and Cl < S (since they are in the same group with Cl above S). Among all, Na has the lowest and S has the highest effective nuclear charge.

Rank the Following Elements in Order of Increasing Effective Nuclear