Chapter 3: Problem 45
In isoclectronic cations, ion having more nuclear charge has the size (1) higher (2) smaller (3) equal (4) cannot be determined
Short Answer
Step by step solution
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Nuclear Charge
In isoelectronic cations (ions with the same number of electrons), the ions still have different nuclear charges because they have different numbers of protons. Understanding how nuclear charge affects ion properties helps us determine differences in ion size.
Ion Size
Higher nuclear charge pulls the electrons more strongly towards the nucleus. This causes the electrons to be held more tightly and reduces the size of the ion. Conversely, a lower nuclear charge results in a weaker pull on the electrons, allowing them to occupy a larger space and increase the size of the ion.
To summarize, among isoelectronic cations, the one with the higher nuclear charge will inevitably be smaller in size due to the stronger attractive force from the nucleus.
Electron Attraction
The principle behind this is Coulomb's Law, which states that opposite charges attract each other. In an atom or ion, the positive nuclear charge attracts the negatively charged electrons. Higher nuclear charge means a stronger attraction, pulling the electrons closer and resulting in a smaller ion size.
In essence, for isoelectronic cations, higher electron attraction (due to higher nuclear charge) directly correlates to a smaller ionic radius.