AS Chemistry Unit: 1

Topic: 3A-2-ionic radii and polarization of ions

TRENDS IN IONIC RADII

How does ionic radius and ionic charge affect the strength of ionic bonding?

As the ionic charge increases or the ionic radius decreases, the charge density
increases. This increases the strength of the ionic bond.

What is the trend in ionic radius for a set of isoelectronic species i.e. N3- to Al3+?
As you go from N3- to Al3+ :
● The nuclear charge increases.
● Number of electrons remains the same.

Md. Shoaib Ahmed, B.Sc. (Honors), M.Sc. (Chemistry), SUST and PGD in IT, IICT, SUST
Teacher Chemistry, The Sylhet Khajanchibari International School & College, Sylhet, Bangladesh
AS Chemistry Unit: 1
Topic: 3A-2-ionic radii and polarization of ions

● Nuclear attraction increases.

● Ionic radius decreases.
POLARISATION AND POLARISING POWER OF IONS

Polarization: Polarization of an ion is the distortion of its

electron cloud.
 A cation will distort an anion
 A cation polarizing power
 A anion is polarizable

Polarizing power: the ability of a positive ion (cation) to

distort the electron density of a neighbouring negative ion
(anion).

Polarisation will be increased by:

• high charge and small size of the cation (i.e. high
charge density of the cation)
• high charge and large size of the anion.

What does the polarising power of a cation

depend upon?
It depends upon its charge density (which relies
upon charge and ionic radius).
The greater the charge density, the greater the
polarising power of the cation.

***Class work

***Home Work:

Checkpoint page 70
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SUBJECT VOCABULARY

Md. Shoaib Ahmed, B.Sc. (Honors), M.Sc. (Chemistry), SUST and PGD in IT, IICT, SUST
Teacher Chemistry, The Sylhet Khajanchibari International School & College, Sylhet, Bangladesh