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Which best explains why cations are smaller than atoms from which they are formed?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
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.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
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What are ions and ionic bonds?
Ions are formed when atoms gain or lose electrons. Positively charged cations are formed when atoms lose electrons. Negatively charged anions are formed when atoms gain electrons. Ionic bond is the force of attraction between cations and anions.
What general statement can be made regarding the ionic radii of cations having the same number of electrons but a different number of protons?
Cations are always smaller than the atoms from which they form
How are ions joined to form ionic compound?
ions are formed by the transfer of electrons. Cations are formed when atoms lose electrons, anions are formed when atoms gain electrons. Ionic bond is the electrostatic force of attraction between the oppositely charged ions.
How does the size change when an atom forms a cation and when an atom forms an anion?
A metal atom is smaller than the cation formed from it, because the electron(s) lost from a metal atom to form its cations are from the outermost electron shell or energy level of the atom. These electrons increase the size of the atom compared with the cation.
Why are cations smaller than parent ions?
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.
How do the sizes of cations and anions relate to the atoms they form from?
Cations are formed when atoms lose electrons and hence are smaller in size than the corresponding atoms. Anions are formed when atoms gain electrons and hence are larger in size than the corresponding atoms.
What are smaller cations or anions?
cations are smaller than the atoms from which they were formed because they lost an electron thus becoming smaller in size. anions are bigger than the atoms from which they were formed because they gained an electron and increasing in size. the greater the nuclear charge, the smaller they are. Source(s):general chemistry 4th edition textbook
What conclusions can we make about the size of cations neutral atoms and anions?
Cations are smaller then neutral atoms and anions are larger.
What are ions and ionic bonds?
Ions are formed when atoms gain or lose electrons. Positively charged cations are formed when atoms lose electrons. Negatively charged anions are formed when atoms gain electrons. Ionic bond is the force of attraction between cations and anions.
Cations are formed by?
cations are positively charged ions formed by loss of electrons from the neutral atoms having 1,2,3 electrons in the outermost orbit
How does a cation form?
Cations form when atoms lose electrons, they gain a positive charge as a result.
Positive ions form when?
Positive ions (or cations) are formed when atoms lose electrons
Cations are formed when neutral atoms lose?
Yes, they loose electrons : e-
What do you get if an atom gains or loses protons?
If atoms gain electrons, negatively charged anions are formed. If atoms lose electrons, positively charged cations are formed.
What type of bond if formed if atoms donate electrons to other atoms when the elements are combined?
Cations donate atoms to form an ionic bond.
What type of bond is formed if atoms donate electrons to other atoms when the elements are combined?
Cations donate atoms to form an ionic bond.
How are the smaller atoms formed?
the bigger atoms exploded making much smaller ones
