Ever wondered about the term ionic radii? In this article, we will explore what ionic radii are and how they vary across the groups and periods of the modern periodic table .
Overview
Test Series
Ever wondered about the term ionic radii? In this article, we will explore what ionic radii are and how they vary across the groups and periods of the modern periodic table .
Simply put, ionic radius is the distance from the nucleus of an ion to the edge of its electron cloud.
An ion comes into existence when an atom either loses or gains electrons. An atom that loses an electron becomes a cation, while one that gains an electron becomes an anion. The ionic radius is essentially the distance between the nucleus of an ion and its outermost shell.
The atomic size of a cation is smaller than its parent atom, while an anion is larger than its parent atom. This is due to the increase in the total number of electrons when an atom becomes an anion, which results in more electron-electron repulsion and reduces the net effective nuclear charge.
Get 6 Months SuperCoaching @ just
₹1999₹499
Let's consider a different example,
Species with the same number of electrons, such as N 3- and Al 3+ , are termed as isoelectronic species. Despite having the same number of electrons, they do not have the same ionic radius due to the difference in their effective nuclear charges.
The radius of a cation is smaller than that of an anion because cations have a greater positive charge (i.e., more protons), which results in a stronger attraction for the outermost electrons and hence a smaller size.
In the periodic table, as we move down a group, atoms add an extra shell (or electrons), leading to an increase in the ionic radius of the elements.
To understand the trends in the ionic radius of elements across a period, let's consider period 2. Here, we observe that the atomic radius first decreases, then suddenly increases, and then gradually decreases again. This is because the elements at the start of a period tend to form cations, while those towards the end of a period form anions.
The formation of ions, which results from the gain or loss of electrons, plays a crucial role in chemical reactions , leading to the creation of new substances. Understanding the ionic radii helps us study the various chemical bonds formed during a reaction.
To learn more about the elements of the periodic table and their properties, continue exploring our resources.
Download the Testbook APP & Get Pass Pro Max FREE for 7 Days
Download the testbook app and unlock advanced analytics.