What is atomic radius?
The atomic radius is the distance from the nucleus to the outermost electron of an atom.
Atomic radius can be determined using two atoms of the same element: measure the distance between their nuclei and divide that distance by two.
Determining the radius
- Take two neighbouring atoms of the same element.
- Measure the distance between their nuclei.
- Halve this distance to obtain the atomic radius.
atomic radius =
For metals, this measurement is also referred to as the metallic radius. For non-metals, it is referred to as the covalent radius.