The addition of electrons to the 3d orbitals in the 3d series enhances the shielding effect of 3d electrons, effectively shielding 4s electrons from the increasing nuclear charge. As a result, the atomic radii decrease less rapidly, leading to only a slight increase in ionization energies along the 3d series.
How does the addition of electrons to the 3d orbitals in the 3d series impact the shielding effect and the decrease in atomic radii?
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The addition of electrons to the 3d orbitals in the 3d series enhances the shielding effect. As electrons are added to the inner 3d orbitals, they shield the outer 4s electrons from the increasing nuclear charge more effectively than the outer shell electrons can shield each other. This enhanced shielding moderates the decrease in atomic radii, making the decrease less rapid along the 3d series. The increased shielding from the inner 3d electrons counteracts the influence of the growing nuclear charge, contributing to the observed slight increase in ionization energies along the 3d series.