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Cations and their parent atoms have the same number of protons in the nucleus but different numbers of electrons. As cations have less number of electrons, the effective nuclear charge increases and as such,the remaining electrons are more tightly bound by the nucleus.
Thus, cations are smaller in size compared to their parent atoms.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoCations result when metallic atoms lose electrons and become charged ions. The size of the atoms gets smaller because these ions now have more protons than electrons. This causes the ion to be smaller than their parent atom.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoCations are smaller because they contain less electrons than the anions do. :)
I'm PRETTY sure that's why....
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoGenerally cations have lesser number of shells and higher effective nuclear charge and so they are smaller than that of its neutral atom.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoBecause it has donated an electron(s) into the valance shell of an anion, thus the overall radius of the element has decreased and sometimes significantly.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agocation is obtained by loosing electrons from outer most orbit/shell when this electron are removed these outer shell automatically vanishes there fore the radius of cation decreases
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoCations lose one electron, Anions gain one electron. Of course Cations are smaller. But its period also affects its size. If there is a shell more, the ion is much more larger.
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoCations lose electrons, anions gain electrons.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoThey have given electrons to anions.
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Why cationic molecular ions are greater then anionic one?
It is wrong. Cations are smaller than ions. It is because when cations are formed the outer shell of the element is removed but this does not happen with anions.
Is a positive ion smaller or larger than its parent atom?
A positive ion is smaller than its parent atom because it has less electrons than its parent atom. The reduced number of electrons are then pulled more tightly to the positive nucleus because the number of protons remains the same, and these now exceed the electrons in number.
Are simple cations always larger or smaller than the neutral atoms from which they were formed?
They have very similar sizes. An ion is an atom that is missing one or more electrons. The contribution of individual electrons to the size of an atom is very slight. Metal atoms. - A
Is a negative ion larger or smaller than its parent atom?
Larger because a negative ion contains more electrons than its parent atom therefore it is larger. A positive ion would be smaller because it has less electrons than its parent atom.
Which best explains why cations are smaller than atoms from which they are formed?
A cation has had electrons removed. So, although cations and their parent atoms have the same number of protons in the nucleus they have a different number (lower) of electrons. This means the same number of protons pulls the smaller number of electrons closer to the nucleus and so the remaining electrons are more tightly bound by the nucleus and hence the reduction in size.
Where do cations move?
Cations are always smaller than the neutral form of the element.
Why cationic molecular ions are greater then anionic one?
It is wrong. Cations are smaller than ions. It is because when cations are formed the outer shell of the element is removed but this does not happen with anions.
Are cations larger or smaller than the neutral atoms they came from?
They are smaller and this is why: There are less electrons to be attracted by the same original positive charge of the nucleus. (For negative ions it's just the other way around.)
Is a positive ion smaller or larger than its parent atom?
A positive ion is smaller than its parent atom because it has less electrons than its parent atom. The reduced number of electrons are then pulled more tightly to the positive nucleus because the number of protons remains the same, and these now exceed the electrons in number.
Is a ion larger or smaller than its parent atom?
A negative ion would be considered larger than its parent atom. This is because electrons have mass, which makes the ions gain mass to outgrow their parent atoms.
How is cation related to the atom?
Cations are much smaller than their corresponding parent.
How are cations anions monoatomic ions and polyatomic ions the same and different?
Cations are positive ions (Fe2+, NH4+).Anions are negative ions (Cl-, (SO4)2-).Fe2+ is a monoatomic ion and (NH4)+ is a polyatomic Ion (contain more than one element).
What are two types of ions?
* Anions are negatively charged ions. Anions are negatively charged because there are more electrons associated with them than there are protons in their nuclei. * Cations are positively charged ions. Cations are the opposite of anions, since cations have fewer electrons than protons. * Dianion: a dianion is a species which has two negative charges on it; for example, the aromatic dianion pentalene. * Radical ions: radical ions are ions that contain an odd number of electrons and are mostly very reactive and unstable.Source: Wikipedia
What are the type of ion?
* Anions are negatively charged ions. Anions are negatively charged because there are more electrons associated with them than there are protons in their nuclei. * Cations are positively charged ions. Cations are the opposite of anions, since cations have fewer electrons than protons. * Dianion: a dianion is a species which has two negative charges on it; for example, the aromatic dianion pentalene. * Radical ions: radical ions are ions that contain an odd number of electrons and are mostly very reactive and unstable.Source: Wikipedia
Is a negative ion larger or smaller than its parent atom?
Larger because a negative ion contains more electrons than its parent atom therefore it is larger. A positive ion would be smaller because it has less electrons than its parent atom.
Are simple cations always larger or smaller than the neutral atoms from which they were formed?
They have very similar sizes. An ion is an atom that is missing one or more electrons. The contribution of individual electrons to the size of an atom is very slight. Metal atoms. - A
Why are cation always smaller than the atoms from which they are formed?
Cations are positive ions formed by the loss of electrons. As cations have less number of electrons, the effective nuclear charge increases and as such,the remaining electrons are more tightly bound by the nucleus and there is a reduction in size. In most of the cases, the parent atom loses all the valence electrons in order to form a cation leading to the reduction of one shell(the valence shell).
