The charge/size ratio of a cation determines its polarizing power.

Question

The charge/size ratio of a cation determines its polarizing power.

The charge/size ratio of a cation determines its polarizing power. Which one of the following sequences represents the increasing order of the polarizing power of the cationic species, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Be²⁺?
(a) Ca²⁺< Mg²⁺< Be⁺ < K⁺
(b) Mg²⁺ < Be²⁺ < K⁺ < Ca²⁺
(c) Be²⁺< K⁺ < Ca²⁺ < Mg²⁺
(d) K⁺ < Ca²⁺ < Mg²⁺ < Be²⁺ .

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Salim Ahmed Kawsar · Answer 1 · Feb 05, 2023 15:29:48

(d) : High charge and small size of the cations increases polarisation.
As the size of the given cations decreases as
K⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > Be²⁺
Hence, polarising power decreases as
K⁺< Ca²⁺ < Mg²⁺ < Be²⁺

The charge/size ratio of a cation determines its polarizing power.

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