Difference between K, K+, and K−. The question asks to put them in order from smallest to largest in radius but I don't understand the difference from them in terms of radius since they are the same element
Ah, you've stumbled upon the alphabet soup of chemistry! Let's break it down:
K, K+, and K- all refer to different forms, or ions, of the element potassium (K). In terms of radius, the order from smallest to largest is:
K+ (Potassium Ion) < K (Neutral Potassium Atom) < K- (Potassium Anion)
The difference in size arises because they have different numbers of electrons.
Think of K+ as the fancy, slimmed-down version of potassium. It has lost one electron, so it has less electron-electron repulsion, making it smaller in size.
Contrastingly, K- is a potassium atom that has gained an extra electron. This extra electron adds more electron-electron repulsion, causing the potassium ion to expand and become larger.
So, to sum it up: K+ is the smallest, K is the neutral middle sibling, and K- is the largest. Just like a family where everyone has their own unique style!
K, K+, and K- all refer to different ions of the same element, potassium (K). The difference between them lies in the number of electrons they have.
K atoms have the same number of protons and electrons, resulting in a neutral charge. K+ refers to a potassium ion that has lost one electron, resulting in a positive charge (+). K- refers to a potassium ion that has gained one electron, resulting in a negative charge (-).
In terms of radius, K+ has the smallest radius. This is because it has lost an electron, reducing the number of electron-electron repulsions and allowing the remaining electrons to feel a stronger attraction to the nucleus. K- has the largest radius since it has gained an electron, increasing the electron-electron repulsion and causing the outermost electrons to be farther from the nucleus.
Therefore, the order from smallest to largest radius would be:
K+ < K < K-
The terms K, K+, and K− refer to different forms or states of a potassium atom. The difference between them lies in the number of electrons that the potassium atom possesses.
A neutral potassium atom, denoted as K, contains an equal number of protons (positively charged particles) and electrons (negatively charged particles). This means that there is no net charge, and the atom is electrically neutral.
When a potassium atom loses one electron, it forms a positively charged potassium ion, known as K+. In this state, the potassium atom has more protons (positive charge) than electrons (negative charge), resulting in a net positive charge.
On the other hand, when a potassium atom gains one electron, it forms a negatively charged potassium ion, represented as K−. In this case, the potassium atom has more electrons (negative charge) than protons (positive charge), resulting in a net negative charge.
Now, coming to the question of ordering them based on their radius:
K+ has the smallest radius among the three forms. This is because when an electron is lost and it becomes a positively charged ion, the remaining electrons are drawn closer to the nucleus due to the stronger electrostatic attraction, resulting in a smaller atomic radius.
K (neutral potassium atom) has a larger radius compared to K+ because it has an equal number of protons and electrons, resulting in a balanced electrostatic force and a relatively larger atomic radius.
K− has the largest atomic radius among the three forms. When an extra electron is added to the neutral potassium atom, the repulsion between the added electron and the existing electrons causes them to spread out further, resulting in an increased atomic radius.
Therefore, the correct order from smallest to largest radius is K+ < K < K−.