The shielding effect refers to an atomic phenomenon that causes electrons further out from an atom’s nucleus to experience less attraction than electrons closer to the nucleus due to the effects of other electrons. Because of this, atoms tend to align their electrons in order of attraction, with the electrons that experience the most attraction closer to the nucleus and electrons that experience the least attraction further from the nucleus.

 

How the Shielding Effect Works

An atom consists of a nucleus that is made up of a cluster of positively charged protons and neutrally charged neutrons. Orbiting around this nucleus is a collection of negatively charged electrons known as the electron cloud. While electrons closer to an atom’s nucleus only feel the attraction of the positively charged nucleus, electrons further from the nucleus feel both its attractive force as well as the repulsive forces from all other electrons between itself and the nucleus. Although electrons further from an atom’s nucleus still orbit it, other electrons repel those electrons more than the nucleus attracts them.

 

Applications

The shielding effect can be used for several different applications. For example, the shielding effect is what allows nuclear fission to take place, as electrons furthest from the atom’s nucleus can be pulled away from that atom under the right conditions. The shielding effect is also responsible for controlling an atom’s size.

 

Advantages

The shielding effect is advantageous because it allows atoms to share electrons, lose electrons, and gain electrons, depending on their net charge. Also, the shielding effect allows scientists to study atoms more closely due to its organization of electrons in the order of net charge, from greatest attraction to least attraction.