Which of the following ions has the smallest ionic radius?

Which of the following ions has the smallest ionic radius?

Correct Answer: Si4+

Step 1: Understand what ionic radius means. Ionic radius is the size of an ion, which can be affected by its charge.
Step 2: Recognize that ions can be positively charged (cations) or negatively charged (anions). Cations are usually smaller than their neutral atoms because they lose electrons.
Step 3: Identify the ions in the question. In this case, we are comparing different ions, including Si4+.
Step 4: Note that Si4+ has a high positive charge (+4). This means it has lost four electrons.
Step 5: Understand that losing electrons causes the remaining electrons to be pulled closer to the nucleus, making the ion smaller.
Step 6: Compare Si4+ with other ions. Generally, the more positive the charge, the smaller the ionic radius.
Step 7: Conclude that Si4+ has the smallest ionic radius among the ions being compared.

No concepts available.