1. \( { }^{* *} \) When an atom becomes a positive ion, the radius of the atom \( \begin{array}{ll}\text { a. decreases } \\ \text { b. increases } & \text { c. remains the same }\end{array} \) \( \begin{array}{ll}\text { 2. }{ }^{* *} \text { When an atom becomes a negative ion , the radius of the atom } \\ \text { b. increases } & \text { c. remains the same }\end{array} \)
Real Tutor Solution
Answer
Solution
Reviewed and approved by the UpStudy tutoring team
Beyond the Answer
When an atom loses one or more electrons to become a positive ion, the radius decreases because there are fewer electrons repelling each other in the outer shell. This leads to a stronger pull from the positively charged nucleus on the remaining electrons, effectively pulling them closer and resulting in a smaller atomic size. Conversely, when an atom gains one or more electrons to become a negative ion, the radius increases. The addition of extra electrons introduces more electron-electron repulsion in the outer shell, causing the electrons to spread out and resulting in a larger radius for the ion compared to its neutral atom state. It’s amazing how these tiny changes in charge can have such a big impact!