Question

I read that 'The ionic radius of a metal is less than its atomic radius'. I understood that if the metal loses an electron, it forms a cation and hence its radius will be lesser. What if it is an anion and it gains an electron. How can we generalise saying the statement above mentioned? Thanking you in advance

Answer 1

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When a metal loses electron, its atmoic radius becomes smaller, since the number of protons will be greater than the number of electrons, which increases the effective nuclear charge of the metal atomc, causing the size of the atom to reduce, and forming a cation

If the same positively charged metal atom gains an electron, the electron count increases, causing the metal atom to get back to its same size

For example,

Na = Na⁺ + e⁻  

Na⁺ + e⁻ = Na

radius of Na= 2.27 A

radius of Na⁺= 0.95 A

(A= Angstrom = 10⁻¹⁰m)