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What is the reason of small atomic radii of sodium ions as compared to sodium atom?

Correct answer: B. Effective nuclear charge

  • A. Electronegativity
  • B. Effective nuclear charge
  • C. Shielding effect
  • D. Electron affinity

Explanation

The atomic radius of a sodium atom is 186 pm, while the ionic radius of a sodium ion (Na+) is 95 pm. The smaller radius of the sodium ion is due to the effective nuclear charge, which is the net positive charge experienced by the outermost electrons.When a sodium atom loses an electron to form a sodium ion, the number of electrons decreases, but the number of protons in the nucleus remains the same. This results in an increased effective nuclear charge, which pulls the remaining electrons closer to the nucleus, reducing the ionic radius.

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