What is meant by 'lanthanoid contraction'?
Answer: The steady decrease of atomic/ionic radii across La→Lu, due to poor shielding by 4f electrons.
Solution
The regular decrease in the atomic and the trivalent ionic radii of the lanthanoids with increasing atomic number (La → Lu) is called the lanthanoid contraction.
Cause: the 4f electrons shield the increasing nuclear charge imperfectly, so the outer shells are pulled steadily inward.
Cause: the 4f electrons shield the increasing nuclear charge imperfectly, so the outer shells are pulled steadily inward.
CBSE Class 12 Board · 2011 · All India · Subjective