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The actinoid contraction is greater than the lanthanoid contraction because:
AActinoids have a smaller effective nuclear charge
B5f electrons shield the nuclear charge even more poorly than 4f electrons do
CActinoids are radioactive
DThere is no actinoid contraction in fact
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. 5f electrons shield the nuclear charge even more poorly than 4f electrons do
The 5f orbitals are even more diffuse and penetrate the inner shells less than 4f orbitals, so they shield outer electrons less effectively. Therefore the effective nuclear charge increases more steeply across the actinoids than across the lanthanoids, producing a larger contraction per element.
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