Question

Explain the screening effect with a suitable example.

Answer 1

In a multi-electron atom, the electrons in the inner shells tend to prevent the attractive influence of the nucleus from reaching the outermost electron.
 Thus, they act as a screen or shield between the nuclear attraction and outermost or valence electrons. This effect of the inner electrons on the outer electrons is known as screening effect or shielding effect.
 Across a period, screening effect due to inner electrons remains the same as electrons are added to the same shell.
 Down the group, screening effect due to inner electrons increases as a new valence shell is added.
e.g. Potassium (19K) has electronic configuration 1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶4s¹.
K has 4 shells and thus, the valence shell electrons are effectively shielded by the electrons present in the inner three shells. As a result of this, valence shell electron (4s¹) in K experiences much less effective nuclear charge and can be easily removed.