Why Is An Anion Larger Than The Parent Atom?

Anions are larger than their parent atoms because they have gained one or more electrons. This extra negative charge causes the electrons to repel each other more strongly, pushing them further apart. The increased electron-electron repulsion effectively reduces the attraction between the electrons and the nucleus, resulting in a larger atomic radius.

Let’s break this down further:

Electron-electron repulsion: The negative charge of electrons naturally repels each other. When an atom gains an electron and becomes an anion, the increased number of electrons leads to greater repulsion.
Effective nuclear charge: The effective nuclear charge (Zeff) is the net positive charge experienced by an electron in an atom. It’s the positive charge of the nucleus minus the shielding effect of the inner electrons. In anions, the added electrons increase the shielding effect, effectively reducing the Zeff experienced by the valence electrons.
Atomic radius: The atomic radius is the distance from the nucleus to the outermost electron shell. Since the Zeff is lower in anions, the valence electrons are less strongly attracted to the nucleus and can occupy a larger volume, resulting in a larger atomic radius.

Consider a simple example like the chlorine atom (Cl) and its corresponding chloride ion (Cl-). A neutral chlorine atom has 17 protons and 17 electrons. When it gains an electron, it becomes a chloride ion (Cl-) with 17 protons and 18 electrons. The extra electron in the chloride ion increases the electron-electron repulsion, making the electrons spread out more. The increased shielding of the nucleus due to the additional electron reduces the Zeff experienced by the valence electrons, allowing them to occupy a larger space. This leads to a larger atomic radius for the chloride ion compared to the neutral chlorine atom.

We know that negative ions (anions) are bigger than their parent atoms. This is because negative ions have more electrons than their neutral counterparts. The additional electrons in a negative ion increase the electron-electron repulsion in the outermost shell, causing the shell to expand and the negative ion to become larger.

Another reason for the larger size of negative ions is the reduced attraction between the nucleus and the outermost shell. With more electrons, the nucleus’s ability to hold onto those outer electrons is weakened. This decreased attraction further contributes to the expansion of the outermost shell, making the negative ion larger than the parent atom.

Let’s dive a bit deeper into the concept of electron-electron repulsion. You can think of electrons as tiny, negatively charged particles constantly buzzing around the atom’s nucleus. They’re like a swarm of bees, each with a negative charge, all trying to avoid each other. The more electrons you add, the more crowded they get, and the more they push each other away. This repulsion is a major factor in the size increase of negative ions.

Imagine a balloon. When you blow air into it, the air molecules inside push against the balloon’s inner walls, causing it to expand. Similarly, when a neutral atom gains an extra electron to become a negative ion, the added electron pushes against the existing electrons, forcing them farther apart and causing the atom to expand.

So, in essence, the extra electrons in a negative ion contribute to two things:

Increased electron-electron repulsion, pushing the outer shell further out.
Decreased attraction between the nucleus and the outer shell, allowing the shell to expand further.

This combination of factors explains why negative ions are bigger than their parent atoms.

Anions are always larger than the atoms from which they are formed. This is because when an atom gains an electron to become an anion, the extra electron increases electron-electron repulsion in the outermost shell. This repulsion pushes the electrons further apart, increasing the size of the electron cloud. Additionally, the effective nuclear charge decreases, which means the attraction between the nucleus and the electrons weakens. This further contributes to the expansion of the electron cloud, making the anion larger than the original atom.

Let’s break down this concept with an example: Take a neutral chlorine atom (Cl). It has 17 protons and 17 electrons. When it gains an electron to become a chloride anion (Cl-), it now has 18 electrons. The added electron experiences repulsion from the existing electrons in the outermost shell. This repulsion causes the electrons to spread out, expanding the electron cloud and making the chloride anion larger than the chlorine atom.

Furthermore, the effective nuclear charge decreases. This is because the 17 protons in the nucleus are now trying to attract 18 electrons. The attraction is spread out over more electrons, making the force of attraction weaker for each individual electron. This weaker attraction also contributes to the expansion of the electron cloud, leading to the larger size of the chloride anion.

In summary, the addition of extra electrons to form an anion increases electron-electron repulsion, decreases effective nuclear charge, and weakens the attraction between the nucleus and the electrons. These factors work together to expand the electron cloud, resulting in the anion being larger than the original atom.

Anions are larger than their parent atoms because they have extra electrons. Think of it like this: Imagine you have a bunch of balloons all tied together. The more balloons you add, the more they push each other away, making the whole bunch bigger. Electrons are like those balloons, and the more electrons an atom has, the more they push each other away, making the atom’s radius larger.

Let’s look at what happens when an atom becomes an anion. It gains electrons, increasing the electron-electron repulsion. This repulsion pushes the electrons farther away from the nucleus, making the atom larger. Since the electrons are farther from the nucleus, the electrostatic attraction between the electrons and the nucleus weakens, allowing the electrons to spread out even more.

Here’s a more detailed explanation of the concepts involved:

Electron-electron repulsion: Like charges repel each other, and electrons are negatively charged. As you add more electrons to an atom, the increased repulsion makes the electron cloud expand.
Electrostatic attraction: The nucleus of an atom is positively charged, attracting the negatively charged electrons. However, the stronger the electron-electron repulsion, the weaker this attraction becomes.

Therefore, the combination of increased electron-electron repulsion and weakened electrostatic attraction leads to an expansion of the electron cloud and a larger atomic radius in anions compared to their parent atoms.

Let’s talk about why anions are larger than their parent atoms and why this makes them more polarizable.

Anions are larger than their parent atoms because they have gained one or more electrons. These extra electrons increase the electron cloud around the nucleus, making the ion bigger. Polarizability is the ability of an electron cloud to distort under the influence of an electric field. Because anions have a larger electron cloud, they are more easily distorted, which means they are more polarizable.

The more electrons an atom or ion has, the greater its polarizability. This is because the electrons in a larger electron cloud are less tightly held by the nucleus and can more easily shift under the influence of an electric field.

Polarizability increases down a group on the periodic table. This is because the atomic radius increases down a group, meaning the electron cloud gets larger and more easily distorted.

Let’s break down why anions are larger than their parent atoms. When an atom gains an electron, it becomes negatively charged, creating an anion. This extra electron adds to the electron cloud around the nucleus. Since the electrons repel each other, the extra electron pushes the other electrons further away from the nucleus, increasing the overall size of the atom. This is why anions are larger than their parent atoms.

Now, let’s consider how this relates to polarizability. Imagine a balloon. If you blow more air into the balloon, it gets bigger, right? The same principle applies to atoms. A larger electron cloud, like a bigger balloon, is more easily distorted by an external force.

Think of it this way: when a charged particle (like a positive ion) comes near an anion, the anion’s electron cloud gets distorted. This is because the positive charge attracts the electrons in the anion, pulling them closer to the positive charge. The more electrons an anion has, the greater its ability to distort and shift in response to the external charge, making it more polarizable.

So, in summary, anions are larger than their parent atoms because they gain electrons. This larger electron cloud makes them more polarizable, as it can be more easily distorted by external forces. The greater the number of electrons, the greater the polarizability.

Anions have a larger radius than their neutral atom counterparts because they gain valence electrons. This addition of electrons increases the electron-electron repulsions within the valence shell, leading to an expansion of the electron cloud and a larger radius.

Think of it like this: Imagine a group of people standing close together. They’re all pushing and shoving, trying to get away from each other. Now, imagine adding more people to the group. The pushing and shoving gets even worse, and everyone spreads out to give themselves more space. This is similar to what happens when an atom gains electrons to become an anion. The added electrons increase the repulsion, making the electron cloud expand and the atom grow bigger.

Let’s delve a bit deeper into the concept of electron-electron repulsion. Electrons, as you know, are negatively charged particles. They naturally repel each other due to their like charges. When an atom gains an electron to become an anion, this extra electron adds to the existing negative charge. Now, with more negative charges present, the repulsions between the electrons become stronger. This increased repulsion forces the electrons to spread out further, effectively increasing the overall size of the electron cloud. As a result, the anion has a larger radius compared to its neutral atom counterpart.

Remember, this change in radius is a direct consequence of the added electrons and the resulting increase in electron-electron repulsions. The greater the number of electrons added, the stronger the repulsions and the larger the anion will become. This concept is a fundamental principle in understanding the size and behavior of atoms and ions.

You’re right to be curious about why anions are larger than their parent atoms! It’s all about the balance of forces within an atom.

Here’s the simple explanation: Anions are formed when an atom gains electrons. With more electrons buzzing around, the electrons repel each other, spreading out the electron cloud and making the atom bigger. Even though the number of protons stays the same, the increased electron-electron repulsion outweighs the attraction from the protons.

Let’s break this down further:

Imagine an atom as a tiny solar system, with the nucleus at the center like the sun and the electrons orbiting like planets. When an atom gains an electron, it’s like adding another planet to the system. Now, all those planets are pushing and pulling on each other.

Think about it this way: the protons in the nucleus are like the sun, pulling on the electrons (planets). But the electrons also repel each other. When you add more electrons (planets), there’s more repulsion, and the whole “solar system” spreads out.

This is why anions, which have gained electrons, are larger than their parent atoms. The added electrons create more electron-electron repulsion, making the electron cloud bigger and stretching the atom out.

You’re right, it’s fascinating to see how the sizes of ions change compared to their parent atoms! Let’s dive into why this happens.

Cations are smaller than their parent atoms because they have lost electrons. When an atom loses an electron, it loses an entire electron shell, which makes the remaining electron cloud smaller. The positive charge on the cation pulls the remaining electrons closer to the nucleus, further shrinking the ionic radius.

On the other hand, anions are larger than their parent atoms because they have gained electrons. The extra electrons increase electron-electron repulsions, pushing the electrons further apart. This increased repulsion pushes the electron cloud outwards, increasing the ionic radius.

Think of it like a balloon: if you let some air out (losing electrons), the balloon shrinks (cation). But if you add air (gain electrons), the balloon expands (anion).

The trends in ionic radius follow the trends in atomic size. This means that as you move across a period in the periodic table, the ionic radius generally decreases. This is because the increasing nuclear charge pulls the electrons closer to the nucleus. As you move down a group in the periodic table, the ionic radius generally increases. This is because the electron shells are getting larger.

Now, let’s think about why the ionic radius changes with the loss or gain of electrons. Remember that the electron configuration of an atom dictates its size. When an atom becomes a cation, it loses electrons, and this often leads to a complete loss of the outermost shell of electrons. In this situation, the cation’s size is determined by the remaining electron shells, which are smaller than the original atom.

However, there are some exceptions. For example, if the atom only loses an electron from its outer p-orbital, the cation will still have its outer s-orbital electrons. In this case, the difference in size between the atom and the cation will be smaller.

Likewise, when an atom becomes an anion, it gains electrons, usually adding to its outermost shell. The added electrons increase electron-electron repulsions, pushing the electron cloud outward and expanding the size of the anion compared to the original atom.

It’s important to remember that while the trends in ionic radius are generally predictable, there are some exceptions due to factors like the specific electron configuration and the strength of the nuclear charge.

Let’s dive into the fascinating world of atoms and their charged counterparts, cations and anions. You might be wondering why cations are smaller than their parent atoms, while anions are larger. The answer lies in the number of electrons surrounding the nucleus.

Cations form when an atom loses one or more electrons. This loss leaves the atom with fewer electrons to balance the positive charge of the nucleus. With fewer electrons, the remaining electrons are pulled closer to the nucleus due to a stronger attraction. This results in a smaller ionic radius compared to the parent atom.

Anions, on the other hand, form when an atom gains one or more electrons. The addition of electrons increases the electron-electron repulsion, pushing the electrons further apart and increasing the size of the ion. This leads to a larger ionic radius compared to the parent atom.

Think of it this way: Imagine a nucleus as a magnet attracting tiny metal balls (electrons). When you remove some balls (electrons), the remaining balls are pulled closer to the magnet (nucleus) by a stronger force. This makes the overall structure smaller. Adding more balls (electrons) creates more pushing and shoving, making the structure expand.

Let’s take a concrete example:

Sodium (Na) has 11 electrons and 11 protons. When it loses one electron to become Na+, it now has 10 electrons and 11 protons. With a stronger pull from the nucleus, the remaining electrons are drawn closer, resulting in a smaller cation than the neutral sodium atom.

Chlorine (Cl) has 17 electrons and 17 protons. When it gains one electron to become Cl-, it now has 18 electrons and 17 protons. The increased electron-electron repulsion pushes the electrons further apart, leading to a larger anion than the neutral chlorine atom.

In summary,cations are smaller than their parent atoms because they have lost electrons, reducing the electron-electron repulsion and increasing the attraction between the electrons and the nucleus. Conversely, anions are larger than their parent atoms because they have gained electrons, increasing the electron-electron repulsion and pushing the electrons further away from the nucleus.

You’re right to ask why anions are larger than their neutral counterparts. The simple answer lies in the extra electrons! Anions are atoms that have gained one or more electrons. These additional electrons increase the electron-electron repulsion, effectively pushing the electrons farther apart and making the anion larger than the neutral atom.

Let’s think about it this way: Imagine a group of people standing close together. If you add more people to the group, they’ll have to spread out to accommodate everyone. Similarly, when an atom gains electrons to become an anion, the electrons repel each other and spread out, making the anion larger than the neutral atom.

Think about the example of chlorine. A chlorine atom has 17 electrons, but a chloride ion (Cl-) gains one electron to become negatively charged. Now, with 18 electrons, the chloride ion is larger than the neutral chlorine atom. The added electron experiences repulsion from the existing electrons, causing the electron cloud to expand, making the chloride ion larger.

So, remember, anions are bigger because they have more electrons! This increase in the number of electrons causes increased electron-electron repulsion, leading to an expanded electron cloud, and ultimately, a larger atomic radius.

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