Rubidium forms the postive Rb+ Is this ion larger or smaller then the neutral atom? Explain PLEASE
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To determine whether the Rb+ ion is larger or smaller than the neutral atom of rubidium, we need to consider the concept of ionization and atomic radius.
Rubidium (Rb) belongs to Group 1 (alkali metals) on the periodic table, which means it has one valence electron. When it loses this valence electron, it becomes a positive ion, Rb+.
When an atom loses an electron and forms a positive ion, it experiences a decrease in electron-electron repulsion. This occurs because electrons have a negative charge and repel each other. With the loss of one electron, the remaining electrons experience less repulsion, causing the electron cloud to contract.
Due to this contraction, the Rb+ ion is smaller than the neutral atom of rubidium. In other words, the Rb+ ion has a smaller atomic radius compared to the rubidium atom.
To summarize, when an atom loses an electron to form a positive ion, the ion becomes smaller in size due to the reduction in electron-electron repulsion. Therefore, the Rb+ ion is smaller than the neutral atom of rubidium.