Explain why O2- ion has a larger radius than oxygen atom

The two electrons in the outer orbit, together with the other negatively charged electrons, repel each other and that make the diameter of the O^2- ion larger.

Compare and contrast the ionic radii of the Oxygen ion (-) and oxygen ion (2-)

The O2- ion has a larger radius than the oxygen atom due to the addition of an extra electron. Here's a step-by-step explanation:

1. Oxygen atom: An oxygen atom contains 8 protons and 8 electrons. The protons determine the positive charge in the nucleus, while the electrons balance out this charge, creating a neutrally charged atom.

2. Electron configuration: The electron configuration of oxygen is 1s2 2s2 2p4, meaning there are two electrons in the 1s orbital, two in the 2s orbital, and four in the 2p orbital.

3. Formation of O2- ion: Under certain conditions, oxygen can gain two additional electrons to form the O2- ion. When oxygen gains two negatively charged electrons, it now has a total of 10 electrons. The additional electrons occupy the 2p orbital, causing an increase in the electron-electron repulsion.

4. Electron-electron repulsion: The addition of two electrons in the 2p orbital increases the electron-electron repulsion within the atom. This repulsion causes the electron cloud to expand to minimize the repulsion and stabilize the ion.

5. Increased electron cloud size: The increased electron-electron repulsion causes the electron cloud to expand, resulting in the larger radius of the O2- ion compared to the oxygen atom. This expansion is due to the outermost energy levels becoming more diffuse, resulting in an increase in the effective radius of the ion.

In summary, the O2- ion has a larger radius compared to the oxygen atom because of the addition of two electrons, which leads to increased electron-electron repulsion and an expansion of the electron cloud.

To explain why the O2- ion has a larger radius than the oxygen atom, we need to understand the concept of an ion and its relationship to atomic structure.

An ion is an atom or a molecule that has lost or gained electrons, resulting in a positive or negative charge. In the case of O2-, it is an oxygen atom that has gained two extra electrons, making it negatively charged.

Now, let's consider the electronic configuration of an oxygen atom. Oxygen has 8 electrons, distributed in its electron shells as follows: 2 electrons in the first shell, and 6 electrons in the second shell. The atomic number of oxygen is 8, which means it has 8 protons in the nucleus, giving it a neutral charge.

When oxygen gains two electrons to become O2-, these extra electrons occupy the third electron shell since it can accommodate up to 8 electrons. The additional electrons repel each other, creating an increased electron-electron repulsion.

This electron-electron repulsion forces the electrons to spread out and occupy more space. As a result, the outermost electron shell is pushed farther away from the nucleus, increasing the ionic radius of the O2- ion compared to the oxygen atom.

In simple terms, the addition of extra electrons in the O2- ion causes electron-electron repulsion, causing the electron cloud to expand and the overall size of the ion to increase. Therefore, the O2- ion has a larger radius than the oxygen atom.