113k views
0 votes
The ion with the smallest diameter is ______.

A. Na+
B. Cs+
C. Rb+
D. K+
E. Li+

User Naseeb
by
7.9k points

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

The ion with the smallest diameter is E) Lithium (Li+).

Step-by-step explanation:

The ion with the smallest diameter is Lithium (Li+).

The size of an ion is determined by the effective nuclear charge and the number of electrons. In this case, the lithium cation (Li+) has the smallest radius among the listed options.

When a neutral atom becomes a cation (loses electrons), it loses electron-electron repulsion and the remaining electrons are pulled closer to the nucleus. This results in a smaller ion.

Among the options given, Li+ has the smallest radius and therefore the smallest diameter.

User Ebullient
by
8.3k points

Related questions