Cadmium has a larger atomic radius than sulfur. Among chlorine, cadmium, fluorine, and oxygen, cadmium stands out due to its position in the periodic table.

Atomic Radii Comparison

Atomic radius generally decreases across a period (left to right) due to increasing nuclear charge pulling electrons closer, and increases down a group due to added electron shells. Sulfur (atomic number 16) is in period 3, group 16, with an empirical atomic radius of about 100 pm.

Element| Symbol| Atomic Number| Approx. Atomic Radius (pm)| Compared to Sulfur
---|---|---|---|---
Chlorine| Cl| 17| 99| Smaller 2
Cadmium| Cd| 48| 161| Larger
Fluorine| F| 9| 72| Smaller
Oxygen| O| 8| 73| Smaller
Sulfur| S| 16| 100| Reference 1

Why Cadmium?

Cadmium resides in period 5, group 12, gaining two extra electron shells beyond sulfur, leading to a significantly larger radius despite being in a different group. Chlorine (period 3, right of sulfur) has a higher effective nuclear charge, shrinking its radius. Fluorine and oxygen, in period 2, have fewer shells, making them much smaller.

TL;DR: Cadmium is the clear answer—it's bigger thanks to those extra shells!

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