Textbook Question
Using only the periodic table, arrange each set of atoms in order of increasing radius: (a) Cs, Se, Te (b) S, Si, Sr (c) P, Po, Pb.
Ch.7 - Periodic Properties of the Elements
Brown14th EditionChemistry: The Central ScienceISBN: 9780134414232
Not the one you use?Change textbookSelect a different textbook
Table of contents
- Ch.1 - Introduction: Matter, Energy, and Measurement177
- Ch.2 - Atoms, Molecules, and Ions231
- Ch.3 - Chemical Reactions and Reaction Stoichiometry216
- Ch.4 - Reactions in Aqueous Solution189
- Ch.5 - Thermochemistry175
- Ch.6 - Electronic Structure of Atoms168
- Ch.7 - Periodic Properties of the Elements150
- Ch.8 - Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding177
- Ch.9 - Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theories200
- Ch.10 - Gases179
- Ch.11 - Liquids and Intermolecular Forces113
- Ch.12 - Solids and Modern Materials154
- Ch.13 - Properties of Solutions157
- Ch.14 - Chemical Kinetics199
- Ch.15 - Chemical Equilibrium128
- Ch.16 - Acid-Base Equilibria164
- Ch.17 - Additional Aspects of Aqueous Equilibria163
- Ch.18 - Chemistry of the Environment105
- Ch.19 - Chemical Thermodynamics164
- Ch.20 - Electrochemistry171
- Ch.21 - Nuclear Chemistry122
- Ch.22 - Chemistry of the Nonmetals82
- Ch.23 - Transition Metals and Coordination Chemistry79
- Ch.24 - The Chemistry of Life: Organic and Biological Chemistry16
Brown14th EditionChemistry: The Central ScienceISBN: 9780134414232Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 7, Problem 27b
Identify each statement as true or false: (b) Li+ is smaller than Li.
Verified step by step guidance1
Consider the electronic configuration of a neutral lithium atom (Li), which is 1s^2 2s^1.
When lithium loses an electron to form Li^+, it loses the 2s electron, resulting in the electronic configuration 1s^2.
Li^+ has fewer electrons than Li, leading to a decrease in electron-electron repulsion and a smaller electron cloud.
The loss of an electron also means that the effective nuclear charge experienced by the remaining electrons is greater, pulling them closer to the nucleus.
Therefore, Li^+ is smaller in size compared to the neutral Li atom.
Verified video answer for a similar problem:
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Video duration:
2mWas this helpful?
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Ionic vs. Atomic Radius
The ionic radius refers to the size of an ion, while the atomic radius refers to the size of a neutral atom. When an atom loses an electron to form a cation, like Li<sup>+</sup>, it typically becomes smaller due to the reduced electron-electron repulsion and the increased effective nuclear charge acting on the remaining electrons.
Recommended video:
Guided course
02:47
Ionic Radius
Cation Formation
Cations are positively charged ions formed when an atom loses one or more electrons. In the case of lithium (Li), when it loses an electron to become Li<sup>+</sup>, the loss of the outermost electron leads to a decrease in size, as the remaining electrons are drawn closer to the nucleus due to the higher positive charge.
Recommended video:
Guided course
02:34Enthalpy of Formation
Periodic Trends
Periodic trends refer to predictable patterns in the properties of elements across the periodic table. One such trend is that cations are generally smaller than their parent atoms, which is observed in the case of Li<sup>+</sup> being smaller than neutral Li, aligning with the trend that cation size decreases across a period.
Recommended video:
Guided course
00:38Periodic Trends
Related Practice
Textbook Question
Use data from Appendix C, Figure 7.10, and Figure 7.12 to calculate the lattice energy of RbCl.
Textbook Question
Using only the periodic table, arrange each set of atoms in order from largest to smallest: (a) Ar, As, Kr (b) Cd, Rb, Te (c) F, O, N.
Textbook Question
Identify each statement as true or false: (c) Cl- is bigger than I-.
Textbook Question
Identify each statement as true or false: (a) Cations are larger than their corresponding neutral atoms.