periodictrend
nounUK /ˌpɪəriˈɒdɪk trɛnd/
US /ˌpɪriˈɑdɪk trɛnd/
A pattern that repeats in a regular way as you go across or down the periodic table.
The periodic trend shows that atoms get smaller as you move from left to right across a row.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A change in a property of elements that follows a repeating pattern across periods or groups.
Electronegativity is a periodic trend that increases across a period.
3. A general direction in which something changes at regular intervals over time.
Scientists noticed a periodic trend in the data collected every month.
4. A predictable pattern seen in the way chemical properties vary with atomic number.
The periodic trend in reactivity helps chemists predict how elements will behave.