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Periodic Trend: Ionic Radius (Simplified) definitions

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  • Ionic Radius
    Distance from the nucleus of an ion to its outermost electron shell, influenced by the total number of electrons.
  • Cation
    Positively charged species formed by losing electrons, resulting in a smaller size than its neutral counterpart.
  • Anion
    Negatively charged species formed by gaining electrons, resulting in a larger size than its neutral counterpart.
  • Electron Shell
    Energy level surrounding the nucleus where electrons are located; losing or gaining electrons changes its occupancy.
  • Neutral Atom
    Species with equal numbers of protons and electrons, serving as a reference for comparing ionic sizes.
  • Valence Electron
    Electron located in the outermost shell, whose loss or gain determines the charge and size of an ion.
  • Parent Atom
    Original neutral species from which an ion is derived, used for size comparison with its ionic form.
  • Positive Ion
    Species with fewer electrons than protons, resulting in a reduced electron shell and smaller radius.
  • Negative Ion
    Species with more electrons than protons, leading to increased electron repulsion and a larger radius.
  • Electron Loss
    Process that decreases the number of electrons, causing a reduction in ionic radius and formation of a cation.
  • Electron Gain
    Process that increases the number of electrons, causing an expansion in ionic radius and formation of an anion.
  • Outer Shell
    Farthest occupied energy level from the nucleus, its electron count determines the size of the ion.
  • Periodic Trend
    Pattern observed across elements, though not applicable for predicting ionic radius, which depends on electron count.