Which of the following periodic trends increases as one moves towards the top right of the periodic table?

Study for the ALEKS Placement Chemistry Exam. Review flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready for your chemistry exam!

As you move towards the top right of the periodic table, several trends can be observed regarding ionization energy and electron affinity. Ionization energy, which is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom, tends to increase because atoms in this region have a greater effective nuclear charge. This means that the nucleus holds onto its electrons more tightly, making them harder to remove.

Similarly, electron affinity, which measures the energy change when an electron is added to an atom, generally becomes more negative (indicating a greater tendency to gain an electron) as you approach the top right of the periodic table. This is because elements like fluorine and oxygen have high electronegativities and a strong attraction for electrons, leading to a more favorable energy release when an electron is acquired.

Therefore, both ionization energy and electron affinity increase as you move to the top right, confirming that the combination of these two trends is indeed correct. This understanding of periodic trends is critical in predicting and explaining the behavior of elements in chemical reactions.

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