Atoms of which of the following elements are smallest?
A) Cl
B) P
C) S
D) None, they are all the same size.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The size of an atom is determined by its atomic radius, which is the distance between the nucleus and the outermost electron shell. Among the options given, chlorine (Cl) has the smallest atomic radius. This is because as you move from left to right across a period (horizontal row) of the periodic table, the atomic radius decreases due to increased nuclear charge pulling the electrons closer to the nucleus. Of the options given, chlorine is the furthest to the right on the periodic table, which means it has the smallest atomic radius.

Atoms of Which of the Following Elements Are Smallest