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Grade upto college level Physical Chemistry

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+ < Be2+ < K+
b. Mg2+ < Be2+ < K+ < Ca2+
c. Be2+ < K+ < Ca2+ < Mg2+
d. K+ < Ca2+ < Mg2+ < Be2+

Profile image of Shane Macguire
12 Years agoGrade upto college level
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1 Answer

Profile image of Deepak Patra
12 Years ago

(d) Smaller the size and higher the charge more will be polarizing power of cation. Since the order of the size of cation is K+ > Ca++ > Mg++ > Be++. So the correct order of polarizing power is

K+ < Ca2+ < Mg2+ < Be2+